Unknown Romance
by Blankedty
Summary: Kakashi loved her but let her go heartbroken. Now will he be forgiven for his actions against her or mess up yet again? Can he protect her from an unexpected enemy while the three face their own trials? Minor NaruSakuSasu lovetriangle
1. Past and Pain

A/n: OMG! It's the sequel! I don't own **_Naruto_**! And…if I did…I'd be the happiest person in any existence! Also, this a sequel story! If you'd like to read this fic and understand it, you should read **_Romantic Antics_**. It's good!

**Sasuke: Just shut up and tell the damn story. You and that punk Kakashi hurt Yui's feelings. And now…he's a drag. Great...just what I need on my missions. A boring, depressed jounin. **

**Magic: He's professional enough where emotions shouldn't affect him during work. Isn't there some ninja rule on that er...something? **

**Naruto: Yeah, but still…dude you messed him up. **

**Sakura: Yeah. **

**Magic: Whoa. Okay, don't call me dude. Okay? And it's all for the author's theme and purpose. Don't you guys study literature? **

**All: …**

**Magic: Now the release of the sequel to _Romantic Antics: An Unknown Romance_ **

**_Prologue: Past and Pain _**

_He stood there. It was bold imprinted. 'Uchiha Obito'. He looked at it. She stood beside him. "Kakashi-san, we've been here for an hour. Are you ready yet?" She asked him sadly. Rin's eyes were filled with worry. It had been a year since Obito died and everyday since then Kakashi was here. It had come to a point where he had stopped eating. He had begun sleeping less…he just wasn't himself. _

"_Another minute Rin." He said to her. _

"_You said that twenty minutes ago." She looked at her feet. His eye never moved from the name he gazed at. _

"_Just another minute…" He trailed off as he closed his eyes and became lost deeper in thought. _

"_Sensei…" Rin said as Yondaime approached Rin and touched her shoulder. He looked into her eyes and she gave a weak smile. _

"_It'll be okay. Go on." He said to her. She turned and walked away leaving her only teammate and teacher behind. "Kakashi you've picked up unhealthy habits lately. I know Obito's death is something painful for all of us, but you are going on mourning him in the wrong way." He touched the young jounin's shoulder. "Even though you've lost so much…the best thing to do is try and treasure what you still have left." _

_Kakashi looked at his teacher and soon his eyes looked to the ground. Yondaime sighed and kneeled down to bring himself eye level to the young man. "…" _

"_You still have the Hokage, the village, and Rin. You still have me. All you can do for Obito where he is now is protect those he loved. Do that for him." _

"…_I'll try…I will." Kakashi looked into the blue eyes of his teacher. A small smile formed on the blonde's face…it would never occur to him that this would be one of the last moments he had with the older man. _

It was late into the evening. Everyone was partying for New Years. Another gone by. Another to begin. Lovers kissed when midnight came. Others drank until they were unable to speak. Kakashi found himself standing near the bar, idling. When midnight came he did nothing. Even now, when it was hours into the party, still he did nothing. Months of emptiness were still floating on the surface.

"Kakashi! Drink up! It's the new year," Gai said cheerily. "and my birthday! It's all about me! Oh yeah!" He danced and circled around Kakashi but stopped when noticing Kakashi did nothing. "You, okay?" He asked.

"Yes."

"You sure? You seem downer these days."

"…I'm fine."

"What? Long distance relationship not working?" Asuma asked. He sat in a booth next to Kurenai. He had his arm wrapped around her waist. The two seemed to be happy together. No one could just tell that yesterday they had been arguing over the price of Kurenai's Christmas gift. No one but them.

"Trouble in paradise?" Kurenai asked.

Anko who was drunk and doing the tango with some random guy spun around curiously and frowned. "You and Yui can't do the distant thing?" She asked. A long silence followed as the clock turned towards three am.

"Yui and I…we…we broke up." He said simply and sipped his beer. He sat at the counter and sighed. "We ended our relationship quite a while ago. The day she left." His comrades looked at him a little bit shocked. After a minute of silence they shrugged and continued to celebrate a fresh new year and Gai's birthday. As the evening closed (or dawn approached) and the group exited the bar they knew it was more than a breakup.

"Who's paying?" Genma asked and looked at Anko. Anko looked to Asuma who looked to Gai. "Well…?"

"It's my birthday. I'm not paying." He said and frowned.

"I'll pay." Kakashi offered. "It's on me." His comrades looked at him with the utmost shock. It was so bad Genma's toothpick and Asuma's cigarette fell from their mouths. Kurenai's eyes widened as the words finally reached her and Anko was too drunk to hear anything. "What?" He asked.

"…**_you're_** paying?" Gai asked as his knees knocked together in fear.

"Yes?"

"THE WORLD'S GONNA END! RUN!" Anko screamed and ran. Obviously this was due to her drunken state. The others stared at her and blinked. After a few moments they realized what exactly happened fled as well. Except Genma who walked.

"…whatever." He shrugged. Kakashi walked away from the scene not even paying the bill. Snow began to fall. It was winter of course. It was cold. He wore the same blue scarf. The one Sakura gave him for his birthday. The one he let Yui wear on their **only** date. God he felt like a fool. **_'It hurts almost as bad as that time…no…just the same.' _**He brought his scarf closer to his neck and breathed against its texture. Sometimes his mind would deceive him and he'd think he could still smell her scent. Yeah right. He really was a fool.

"_Kakashi say something…don't you love me?" She caressed his cheek and his eyes never again met her hers. Tears began to well. His silence said everything to her. "So it was a game to begin with." Kakashi released her hands and sighed. He recovered his face and turned his back. He couldn't…it was better this way. He walked backs towards the gate and stopped as she screamed "You never loved me, did you?"_

"…"

"_I… can't you…" Finding herself unable to form proper words, Yui brought her hands to her locket and held it. "I can't believe this…Why…?" She tired to find some sense in his latest actions and figure out what was going on. "I…I thought…I thought you loved me."_

"_No. I never did say I loved you, Yui." Kakashi's words hit her hard and cold. It was heavy just like the drops of rain which fell from the sky. "I never said I loved you."_

"…" _She stared at his back and couldn't contain her pain and anger anymore. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried and pulled the locket from her neck. "FINE! FINE…THEN I DON'T NEED YOU!" She threw the no longer valued object to the ground, and stepped on it. "If you never cared you should have just said so. I'll never forgive you…you bastard…" She turned around and ran as fast she could. Kakashi stood there. His fist was clenched and on the inside of his mask he bit his lip. He did it. He could feel it…he was slowly **dying** on the inside_.

Death…dying on the inside…that's what It felt like. That's what the feeling was equivalent to. And inner death. More heartbreaking feelings.

_There he was again…standing before someone's grave. Standing before his sensei's grave. Death…the grim reaper was a cruel man. Taking away those he cared about most. One by one, by one. Selfish, cruel man. What a bastard death was. What a selfish bastard. It was hurting all over again. It was hurting so bad. He couldn't just past it…it did hurt. The 3rd stood before them giving a speech on the strength of the great Yondaime. How his bravery saved them all. Kakashi found himself paying no mind to his words...only hearing them and having them go through both his ears…theses days nothing seemed to matter anymore. _

_Death was a selfish bastard that could not be forgiven. Forgiven…FORGIVE. _

Would she forgive him if he asked? If he pleaded to her earnestly, would she consider forgiveness? At this point he almost regretted his actions. **_'Almost…'_** But he did not for he knew his reasons in doing so. By taking this action he'd protect her for more years of utter pain and sadness. Still, for some reason he couldn't explain Kakashi found himself questioning whether she would forgive him or not.

He looked up into the late night sky. The snow fell the same way. The world continued to move. Almost as if the whole thing never happened…almost. Not quite.

* * *

She stood before the tombstone. Upon it, in grey lettering, it read:

'**_Kindness and Generosity are unappreciated and life is underrated. Here lies a man who knew that and did the opposite of its meaning. A great leader, darling husband, and strong father_**

**_Yoshimitsu Kyoshi'_**

Her eyes watered and the cold snow fell on her head. "Daddy…I can't get over it…I don't know if I ever will."

_Yui ran through the woods. Her legs finally gave and she fell to the ground in pain and tears. Mud covered her legs and she was soaked. Nothing made sense to her at that point. Nothing was right anymore. So much was hurting. Her head, her heart, her body ached. Another Heartbreak in one lifetime. How cruel life was.' I should have known!' Her tears mixed with the rain. 'I loved you…so much. I thought you cared too. Why would you tell me all those things if you didn't? Why would you really play such a game...Kakashi…I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!' _

"It hurts liken that time father. It hurts just like that time."

_Snow fell. She ran through the alley holding a crying child. "Hush Yume. Hush!" She tried to keep her from crying. Her efforts weren't in vain. Looking to see if she was being pursued Yui tripped over trash cans and fell to the ground. Her only concern at that moment was her infant sister. She arose and brought her face from the ground. She looked around. Upon the snow was…'blood..? Fresh…fresh blood… from where…from who?' She picked up the now silent child and pressed her body against the wall. She looked to see the infant had fallen asleep. Strange one would expect her cries. _

_She inched closer and closer to see from where the blood trailed from. Her eyes widened when she saw on the snow covered ground a dead blonde. Her breath fell short. 'Father….' She cried. "FATHER!" _

"Yui…" A voice called. She turned around to see a brunette woman stand behind her. "Come. We have issues to discuss. You know very well it is unsafe for you to travel alone."

"I'm not a child."

"But you are my daughter. Now let us go inside. Yumiko has finished dinner." Yoshimitsu Kirara narrowed her blue eyes to Yui's image. The two walked through the snow returning to the house of the Yoshimitsu.

* * *

Kakashi lay in his bed. Sleep was hard to come by. With his eyes wide open, he sat up and looked out the window. It was a light snow storm. Most likely it would be two feet or three come morning. The pure white of the snow made him think of her. It had been late summer. It was extremely hot. She wore a white t-shirt, shorts and sandals. She was especially pissed at him too. He had spilled his bowl of ramen on her shirt causing her chest to be outlined. She cursed him the whole day.

"_YOU BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT! MY GOD I HATE YOU!" Yui screamed as he followed her home. She needed to change. _

"_It was an accident?" He said, unsurely. _

"_An accident? You apologize with the tone of a question! Are you really sorry!" _

"_Yes. Yes I am." _

"_Really?" She turned around to him and glared. _

"_Yeah. Sorry I didn't get to touch your chest. I mean your nipples just shot right through." He said simply. Yui's face turned red and she raised her hand to slap him. Of course her attempt was in vain for he had grabbed her wrist before it came too close to his cheek. His one eye gazed into her jade eyes and he drew near her. "There's so much I wish I could do to you." He said alluringly._

"_You are a sick pervert you know that?" _

"_Yes. If I wasn't aware I was a perverted minded male I'm sure I'd find something else to spend my pay check on beside erotic novels." _

"_You **are** going to hell." She said behind gritted teeth. _

"_I know. You want to come?" _

"…_Sure. Just let me get changed." She said sarcastically as she pulled herself from his grasp and walked ahead. Kakashi laughed lightly as he followed the girl with more bad jokes and torment to go along with it._

Summer. He learned he had feeling for that woman during the summer. Now here he was…winter. Fall went by quickly escorted by heartbreak. Her heartbreak and his. It really was a cold and sad season. For some reason he could tell it was going to be the coldest winter ever.

* * *

In the Yoshimitsu home, not too long after dinner, Yui spoke to her mother. The snow fell from the sky and could be seen through the window. Yui stared at it intently as her mother lead her to the office of the home. As they sat down in the room Yui looked to her mother. "Well…what did you wish to see me for?"

"You know there have been recent murders. The most valued in the village have been killed."

"I know."

"Your protection…our family's protection is needed to be great. With this as a factor I'm hiring bodyguards for the family."

"Understood. So why are you telling me this?"

"Those I'm hiring are from Konoha."

"…" Yui's eyes meet Kirara's. It was almost like speaking death to her. "From Konoha you say?"

"Yes. Does this disturb you?" Kirara took a sip of her tea. She looked into her cup. "Does it Yui?"

"…no. I'm fine. With that I'll be leaving. Goodnight mother." Yui arose and headed towards the door.

"Yui. I hope you do not let emotions surrounding that village get to you. For one, chances of it being that man are low. You need not worry about such."

"What makes you think I was worried about that? Maybe it was something else."

"I've been your mother for 26 years of my life. I know you. Like I said…don't let it get to you."

"…Goodnight mother." Yui walked out her room and slid close the door behind her. Her eyes looked down to see a young girl around the age of eight or nine before her. The child had green eyes of innocence and long blonde hair in a ponytail. A few stray strands danced around her round face and she held to her chest a small plush scarecrow.

"You were talking to mommy." The child said.

"Yes." Yui asked callously.

"…you mentioned hired ninja form Konoha…right?" She asked.

"Yume, go to sleep. It's past your bedtime." Yui walked the hall leaving the girl to stand there.

"Do you think **he'd** come?" Yume asked and followed her sister.

"Why do you keep asking me these questions?"

"Do you want him to come?" She asked. She grabbed her sister's hand and Yui turned to glare at the child. "Do you wish for him to come?" She asked.

"I told you not to speak of him. I'm beyond such things. Even if it is him to come, I'm indifferent." Yui walked up ahead and Yume followed.

"That 'loser' said you did still care. He saw you at daddy's grave crying about him."

"Hush up! Yume go to sleep!" She shouted to the girl. There was an awkward silence formed between the two and Yume began to sniffle. Yui turned and looked down at the crying girl.

"…sorry. I was just worried that's all." Yume held the plush scarecrow and frowned. She looked at her sister with sincerity. She truly was in fact worried about how her sister would face the man who crushed her heart. "I mean…you're so much colder than before…"

"…I am?" She asked the young girl and bent down to her. "Colder?" She asked.

"Yeah. You don't even give me second looks. Before you stopped smiling but now you stop feeling altogether." She hid her face behind the plush toy and Yui shook her head.

"No. I don't mean to be cold to you Yume…"

"Yuri said since I was born you stopped smiling."

"…but you're not the reason…it isn't you. It's just that when daddy died…I felt I had nothing to smile about."

"…" She looked at her feet and sighed. Yume was honestly a complicated little girl. "I was too young to remember daddy..." Tears began to well up in the small child's eyes and Yui brought her into a warm embrace. "And I've never seen you smile…"

"I'm sorry Yume." The two were there in the hallway with the only sound being that of silence.

* * *

Kakashi fell asleep with one of his books on his chest. It was the one she got him for his birthday. It was the last one he had. Since the day he received the gift, he never once read it. Since the day she left, he never looked at it. Now there it was upon his chest, the last thing he looked at before falling into a deep sleep of the winter night. It would be surprise, for the only thing he had read of the book was not even its content but the side note from the giver of the gift. The words he stared at until he had fallen into deep slumber were two simple ones.

_**Love, Yui **_

A/n: LISTEN! You won't get this fic, unless you read **_Romantic Antics_**! So for those of you who complain you're lost or you don't think this is Kakashi or whatever, read the last fic! READ IT! It'll make more sense okay!

**Sasuke: Must you be such a bitch? **

**Magic: Must you? (glares) **

**Sasuke: Whatever. I'm just saying to be more polite to the readers…else they won't review. **

**Magic: WHAT? I didn't know that! I'm SORRY YOU GUYS! I'm not trying to be mean! (Runs around and apologizes like Ritsu from Fruits Basket) **

**Naruto: Now she won't stop. (Watches Magic trip over her own feet) Chaos-sama, really….**

**Sakura: (sweatdrop) don't forget to review Chaos-kun's work. See you all next chapter! **


	2. Jealously

A/n: OH! When I went to check my stats my hits for this fic was about…fifty people. My reviews were about…I dunno…four! People. Come on! REVIEW! Give me input! Inspiration! Motivation. I need your reviews! Please. I treasure them so much.

**Sasuke: Just review so she can shut up. **

**Naruto: Yeah. **

**Magic: (glares, picks up chainsaw)**

**Sakura: You guys…**

**Sasu/Naru: …AHH! (runs away and tries tohave Magic not kill them) **

Also I wanna give a special thanks to those who first reviewed this fic:

**M** well…uh…thanks for being reviewer number one.

**KaiKaiCuite** thanks! Love your lil' name. Too cute!

**Hemotoxin** Dude…your name worries me. But it's still cool. Thanks!

**Hurley Girl** Thank you for your review!

**Slek** Thank you too.

This chapter is dedicated to you all.

**Sasuke: Stop yapping and go to the damn story. **

**Magic: (gets a mallet) You think you're too stoic to have me kick your ass huh? (Chases him) **

**Sakura: It's now the first chapter. This chapter is mostly about us. Yui and Kakashi-sensei are later. **

**Chapter 1- Jealously **

"Bodyguards?" Naruto asked as Tsunade handed him the form with their latest assignment on it. "Tsunade obaa-chan can I ask whom for?" He raised an eyebrow. He was just a little curious as to who it was.

"It's a very wealthy family. There have been recent killings in the village, and they do not have any real protection." Tsunade arose from her chair and went through some more papers which sat upon her desk. "The village is south of the Thunder country. It's very prosperous for most wealth live there." Tsunade looked to them sternly. Her eyes narrowed on Naruto's image. "Do not mess up on this job. Do it well. Please understand and take note this is one of our highest paying clients. Such amounts of money can be put to good use." She walked towards the door. "Good luck."

Team seven headed out the door. Tsunade touched Kakashi's shoulder, as he was the last one to leave the room. Kakashi looked at the woman. "Yes?" He asked.

"It's the Yoshimitsu, Kakashi." Tsunade whispered to him.

"I'm well aware of that. Good Bye Hokage-sama." He stepped from her touch and headed down the corridor where his team waited.

Outside was fresh, and white. Another snow storm. It was extremely frequent since the season had begun. As the group walked through the 2 feet of fresh snow the three teens whispered amongst themselves. "Isn't Yui from that village?" Naruto asked.

Sakura shoved her hands into the pockets of her winter coat. It was extremely cold. "Yeah. So we will get to see her. Maybe."

Naruto looked at the silent Kakashi who walked ahead. His teacher had become very to himself lately. More than usual. Naruto frowned then turned to Sasuke. He touched his shoulder and whispered into his ear. "And Kakashi-sensei?" He asked.

"Kakashi-sensei will be alright. He's trained better than that, where his emotions won't interfere with the mission." Sakura told them as she leaned forward into the conversation. "Still he hasn't been himself since she left." Sakura looked to Kakashi. "I can it really did hurt him."

Naruto looked to the pink haired girl and frowned. Sasuke shivered slightly and held his black scarf closer to his neck. The winter cold was getting to him. His fingers were numb and red at the tip. He felt a bit lethargic as well. Since Yui's leave, he too, had not been himself. Things which never bothered him did. Things about Naruto and Sakura occurred to him, as they never would have before. "I'm tired," He mumbled. "and hungry."

"How about we go to your place and I make you guys something hot to drink?" Sakura offered. "'I'll even do dinner."

"Whatever…" Sasuke said as his heavy eyes fell.

"Okay, I'll go to the store and pick up some things." Sakura looked to Naruto who smiled.

"Yeah." Naruto said. With the behavior going on between them no one could tell it was hoax. Everything beneath it was all was a lie to keep unruly emotions held down. "Kakashi-sensei, Sakura is going to make dinner at Sasuke's. Want to come?"

"No thanks." He simply said and walked on.

The cold air made Naruto's cheeks and nose red. He sighed. "Yeah. Okay. I'll see you for tomorrow's mission then."

Sasuke shivered once more. Sakura noticed the male's chilled body and decided to help. She rubbed Sasuke's hands with her own, for they were fairly warm, being they had been in her pocket for a while. "I think this is the coldest winter we've ever had." Sasuke's cheek turned a bright red. One would think it was due to the weather, but only he knew that he was blushing. He and jealous Naruto who watched.

"Thanks Sakura." He said.

"You're welcome Sasuke." She smiled and Naruto frowned to the sight. A feeling of jealously danced over his shoulders. It didn't like what he was watching.

"Sakura-chan you need help with the grocery shopping?" He asked.

"Hm…sure." She blew on Sasuke's hands and rubbed them again. Naruto hated the fact that Sasuke seemed to be enjoying his special treatment too much.

* * *

Kakashi continued to walk. Each step he took through the snow felt heavier than his last. His latest mission would require seeing her again. To protect her. She was going to be his client. That was it. Nothing more. Nothing else would happen. He wouldn't let it. But what would she say when she saw him? How did she feel now? **_'No. None of that matters. It is my mission to protect her. Forget everything else. My feelings don't matter.' _**

He entered his apartment and placed his things down as he walked into the kitchen to place a kettle on the stove. He entered the shower and turned on the hot water. The heated drops of water beat upon his back and woke up his cold body. Kakashi placed his forehead against the tile of the shower wall and sighed deeply. The hot water stilled beat on his skin. Despite its weak sound, he could hear the kettle whistle. **_'My feelings don't matter…but hers still do.' _**

* * *

****

Sakura placed the bag of rice into the shopping cart as Naruto pushed it along in the supermarket. "Should I get tuna fish?" She asked him as they walked down the isle.

"Hm? Get what you want Sakura-chan." He said somewhat uncaringly.

"I just asked you a simple question. No need to respond to me with such a rude remark."

"I didn't mean to sound so mean…"

Sakura's eyes looked at Naruto. Somewhere in her , she felt silent guilt. "No, its okay. I asked you that question you don't really like tuna. I was just thinking about Sasuke's favorite.

'**_I knew you were.' _**Naruto frowned and then sighed. "That's fine. Tuna's okay."

Sakura looked at the floor then back to Naruto. "Do you want Salmon?" She asked.

"Sure. That's fine too." He said fairly saddened. Sakura looked to Naruto and frowned. She walked over to him and again frowned; even more bitter than the last. She brought her hands to his cheeks and squeezed them.

"What do **you** want?" She asked. Naruto's eyes searched her own and in them he saw true serenity.

"I want…I want…" He began.

"Yes?"

"I want you Sakura." A pink color burned Sakura's cheeks as she heard his words. She stepped back a bit, causing her to bump into the cart.

"I mean…uhh...what do you want to eat for dinner?" She turned her back to him and bit her bottom lip.

"Salmon is fine." Naruto stepped past her and pushed the cart down to the next isle.

Sakura stood there. She had found she bit her lip until it bleed. As she brought her fingers to the source of blood and touched she realized how red the color was. It was the same red she saw on Sasuke's numb hands earlier. It was the same color Naruto's cheeks were just a moment ago.

* * *

She touched the cold stone. Amazingly, despite the sub-zero weather it felt warm. Heated. Almost as if it was alive. Tears slid down her cheeks as she brought her knees to the snow covered ground and cried loudly "I don't want to see him, daddy. I don't want it to be him!"

A slender figure stood in the trees. His midnight blue eyes and black hair seemed like death with the image of pure white snow behind him. "And all the people will cry once upon her dead body."

* * *

Kakashi drank his tea. He sat at his desk staring at images. Pictures. The same ones they took in the photo booth their first date. Her smile was so pure. It was a wonderful feeling for him to have made her smile. To make her happy. He remembered…

" _You've taught me something. To be happy…" _

Another feeling returned. That same type of feeling he had since Obito's death. That same kind of feeling of him being foolish…the one which made him have regret. He didn't want to think his action against her was wrong. Painful, yes. Wrong? No. His goal was to keep her happy by keeping her away from him. **_'It would have been better if she didn't love me. This all would hurt so much less. For her, and me.'_**

He changed everything back to what it use to be. The simple shuriken sheets were back. His bathroom was plain and simple. His room looked the way it always use to. Like he never had a woman in his life. Like she had never been there. Like she never existed…how he almost wished it was true. Almost wished…almost. If she never existed then it would not hurt. None of it would.

Of course his life never gave a moment without pain. It came with being a shinobi. It was mandatory in such an existence.

* * *

The two chuunins sipped their hot chocolate together as Sakura was in the kitchen. Sasuke's eyes meet Naruto's and they both took another sip of the hot beverage. "Too hot for you Naruto?" Sasuke asked, as he watched the blonde place his cup down on the table.

"No. What about you?"

"It's fine." Their eyes traveled around the room and meet each other once more. "Sakura's almost done cooking."

"Yeah. Maybe ten minutes more."

"Or less. You know she's a great cook."

"I know."

"Once we tried this cooking class at the academy. It wasn't all that great being that the teacher was always absent. The one day there was a teacher it wasn't even anyone who could cook. It was Gai, so the class was horrible. Everyone did terrible accept fuzzy brows." Naruto smirked and stared into the hot chocolate. He watched as the one marshmallow in it slowly sank down. "But even though the class sucked…I still had a good time. And Sakura and I made a great dish. You should see her. She's so good with her hands."

"I know." Sasuke replied somewhat smugly. Naruto looked up and him and glared. "I've experienced such first hand. No pun intended." He grinned. Naruto stood up and slammed his hand on the table causing the hot beverage to spill on his hand.

"Ouch!" He cried as it came into contact with his skin.

"I thought you said it wasn't too hot."

"Shut up, you bastard." Naruto ran into the kitchen and turned the cold water on from the sink. Sakura looked to him with worry as she saw him gritting his teeth.

"You okay? What's wrong?" She looked to see his red and burning skin. "How'd you burn yourself?" She asked as she grabbed the dish towel and took his hand from under the water. "Come here." Sakura dragged the blue eyed boy into the bathroom and sat him the edge of the tub. She went through Sasuke's medicine cabinet and soon found some ointment.

As she rubbed some on his hand Naruto's cheeks began to turn a pink color. "I was being clumsy again."

"That's obvious. It's not that bad. This should stop the burning and let it heal, okay?"

"Uh-huh. Thanks Sakura-chan."

"That's fine."

"Hm…hey! Can you kiss it and make it all better?" He asked with a childish pout. "Please…"

"Wha? No!"

"Please Sakura-chan?" He formed big puppy dog eyes and blinked to her cutely.

"Fine. Okay." She gently kissed his palm and Naruto smiled as her lips came in contact with his skin. "Better?" She asked.

"Yes. So much better."

"I gotta go finish dinner now. Just sit with Sasuke. And don't hurt yourself anymore." She headed out the bathroom and left Naruto there. He looked at his hand and then looked in the hall to see a jealous Sasuke.

* * *

Yui sat down before the fireplace. A sleeping Yume was in her lap. She stroked the child's hair and looked at the clock. Minutes to twelve. She brought her eyes back to the flames of the fire and sighed. The fire before her eyes reminded her of that day…the day her father was killed. And also the day he broke her renewed sprit. For some reason she smiled when the thought of watching his happiness burn came to mind. But it was followed by a frown…for she saw her own happiness burning with his. **_'Kakashi…I hope this hurts you as much as it hurts me…no. More.' _**

A/n: It's like the end. (Please forgive me for the typos. I'm too lazy for spell check sometimes…most the time)

**Sakura: End of this chapter. Yes, we know. No why don't you begin the next? **

**Naruto: Yeah. **

**Magic: Unlike you kids I gotta go to school til I'm like almost thirty! Okay! School is not just some three to fours years and you're out for good but three to fours broken up into different levels. It's like…Elementary, then middle, then high school, then college, then grad school…it doesn't end! Geez…I'm tired already. **

**Sasuke Then take a nap and do the next chapter when you're done. (Rolls eyes) **

**Magic: Uh...OKAY! Later dayz! **


	3. Arrival

A/n: Yes…It's the next chapter. Uh huh…I don't own anything.

**Sakura: We know. **

**Naruto: Yeah. If you did own the show it would suck. **

**Sasuke: Suck badly too. **

**Magic: (Glares) Every chapter you gotta start stuff. Every chapter. I'm gonna maim you. (Pucks up machete) **

**Naruto: What's that for? **

**Sasuke: Oh God. (Grabs Naruto and Runs)**

**Sakura: You guys…this chapter we meet the Yoshimitsu family. Enjoy. **

**_Chapter 2- Arrival_**

He packed the last of his things inside the bag. He had the basis. From clothes to toothbrushes and other things everything he needed was packed in to fit. He had also made sure to pack enough as well. There was no sure length of how the mission was. Days, weeks, maybe even months. Regardless the amount of time, it didn't matter. What mattered was that the following mission, if done well, would bring big much profit to the village. And recently the country had been in mild debt.

Kakashi looked out the window. The snow was still falling. They'd be traveling in the snow. The journey wouldn't be too long either. They'd try to reach their destination as quick as possible because of the cold weather.

"It's almost seven." He said to himself. He picked up his pack and gazed at the calendar before he stepped out. January 19th…she left on September 19th. It was exactly four months since he had last seen her. How she's look now? How was she? How would she respond when he arrived? All this he wouldn't know until he got there. As he took one last look at the calendar for the New Year he sighed. It was a new year…she possibly could have begun refresh and over him.

'_**Knowing her…she hasn't. She didn't…she just couldn't bring herself to get over it so quickly…she's always bearing a grudge.' **_

He closed the door to his apartment and left. Now his travels were to begin.

For the first time Kakashi was actually early for a mission. He had arrived ten minutes before his students (or rather former students) who seemed absolutely flabbergasted when they saw him there. Sasuke's eyes were especially wide and Naruto keep examining Kakashi as if to go on with 'who are you and what have you done with Kakashi-sensei?'

"Kakashi-sensei, you're…well…early." Sakura said. She looked at him oddly.

"Yes. I want us to hurry. It's rather cold out here." He held his blue scarf closer to his neck and smiled. "But I shouldn't get too cold wearing this." He smiled.

"Well it was a rather expensive scarf." Sakura smiled back. The group headed through he gates of the village as to travel through the snow. The weather would make it difficult.

* * *

"Well…?" Kirara asked as three young women who stood behind her. Inside the Yoshimitsu household the maids and housekeepers made preparation for the arrival of their guests. "I told you to make sure that was fixed." She frowned and turned her head to face them. "How incompetent are you?"

"Ma'am…the carpenters said they couldn't finish the repairs quickly with the recent storms. The cold weather is making it harder for them." The smallest one said. She had dark hair and brown eyes. Her face was round and her eyes fairly narrow. She appeared adult, yet childish. "But they are working as hard and as fast as they can ma'am."

"That's not what I want to hear." Kirara's cold blue eyes seemed almost death defying. She looked at the three women before and stepped forward. She looked icily to the older one. She was about the same height as Kirara with deep brown eyes and brown hair. "You are the oldest. Act like it instead of having these two make up for you. I don't tolerate incompetence. You and I both know this well. Too well. Make sure your slackness doesn't show up while the Konoha shinobi are here, understand?"

"Yes." Kirara turned her back to them once more and with a wave of her hand they exited the room. "Yui please come in here now." She called. The blonde stepped into the room. Kirara walked towards her and smiled. "Yui, how have you been lately?"

"Fine. I suppose. "

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You know the Konoha-nin will arrive between this evening and tomorrow morning. You are aware of that, aren't you?"

"Mother what is the reason in you asking me this?" I was busy---"

"Yui, I don't want you to be hurt by his presence here."

"..."

"The group which is coming…Hatake Kakashi is apart of it. Team Seven I believe." Kirara searched her daughter's face. In her green eyes one could see the sadness. Yui was more than hurt. "I don't need you to be miserable when around him. You are too strong for that. Moreover hate will bring you down lower. I need you to be the best when your time to care for this village comes."

"Mother you underestimate me."

"No. I know you. You'll let this haunt you."

"…"

"Besides, I don't think he needs both hate from you **and** I." Kirara walked away from Yui and sat down at the desk in the room. She crossed her legs and picked up a pen sitting on the desk. She began tapping the pen against the hard and smooth wood. Yui's eyes followed the moving pen. The sound was driving insane.

"Why do you hate him? You don't even know him. There's no reason for you to detest him." She said behind gritted teeth.

"Oh? He hurt, and crushed my daughter's sprit, heart and soul. I have all the reason to loathe him. No man hurts my child."

"Mother, you're overreacting." Yui bite her lip. She was becoming irritable.

"I think I'm actually being very nice about this all. And you know me. I'm not nice."

"Mother—"

"I just want you to be strong about this. Don't cower in the presence of anyone. Even a man you once loved…or still do."

"No. I don't love him any longer."

"It's funny how you expect me to believe a lie that you don't believe yourself."

"…" Kirara continued to tap the pen.

"Does it drive you to anger?" She asked her daughter. Yui's eyes narrowed and became rather sharp. Kirara smiled to her attempt to glare at her. "Does it Yui?"

"I'll be leaving now."

"Be gone then." She finally stopped tapping the pen. She brought it to her chin and closed her eyes.

"Yes. I'll see you at breakfast." Kirara waved her hand and Yui left the room. As she walked down the hall, Yui encountered the three maids from before. The three stared to her and smiled weakly. "…" She stomped down the hall and when she turned the corner she sighed. **_'Can I really face him…?' _**

* * *

****

Sakura smiled to the woman at the inn. The day was ending. Night was close, which meant it would be too cold to travel. They'd stay until morning, and then continue. As the group followed the small woman who owned the inn Sakura couldn't help but sigh. She worried how Yui and Kakashi would respond to each other. Four months wasn't enough to really get over such a break up. Would Yui explode I anger as always or would she…

"Sakura, are you okay?" Naruto asked. She looked up from the wooden floor and smiled slightly to the blonde boy.

"Huh? Yes."

"Alright then. I'm going to bed now. I'll see you in the morning." Naruto headed into the room the he shared with Sasuke. Sakura stood before the door of her room. Her eyes traveled around the small hall and looked to see out the snow the continuously falling snow.

Snow. White. Pure. But at the same time…sad. Empty. Cold. Cold like emotions gone dead. It was amazing how the weather had been so in touch with Kakashi's recent behaviors. With her own recent feelings. It was almost like the nature of which she lived in…knew her. Them all. And almost like the earth surrounding them could feel their pain. Sadness…depression…it could feel all of that. Almost.

"But not quite." She opened the door and entered the room. She sat on her bed and sighed.

Kakashi lay in his own bed. He was grateful that most of the times he had his own room. Personal space was a great requirement for him…and all his broken thoughts and feelings. He wanted to proceed in life without regrets. He hated to admit to himself he was an old fool. An old empty fool…Gai was right about it all along.

Still…somehow…things which one would regret would meet him and try and welcome him with open arms. 'Welcome oh regretful one, how may I help you hate your existence.' Those sort of feelings. Those feelings he hated. He tried so hard to refrain from that. Yet the fate which he had threw it to him nevertheless. It had be to wrong. Some greater force in the universe had to make it so he'd go see her. It clearly didn't like him. Maybe it was punishment for all his wrongs in life. He had done some terrible things, so many. Still…

"Yui…" he rolled over in the bed and looked at the ceiling. White. "Just like the snow." He closed his eyes and imaged her standing there in the snow. Her hair let was in a neat bun and her lips still shining from the lip gloss. Her cheeks were rosy and she looked like an angel that waited him. She wore a white gown and the snow feel upon her. _"Kakashi…" _She called. He could hear her words and her voice. It was filled with sadness.

With those being his last thoughts Kakashi drifted of to sleep. Would she appear so to him when he arrived? How would she look? How would she act? How would she feel…?

* * *

As team seven walked towards the entrance of s small yet busy looking village a handsome blonde stood before the gateway. His slender figure made him appear to be as tall as a tree. His dark winter coat made him appear appealing and mysterious.

"Oh my…" Sakura said and blushed furiously. She speeded up her pace and Naruto and Sasuke frowned.

"I don't like the looks of that guy." Naruto mumbled.

"Me neither." Sasuke responded. Kakashi raised and eyebrow. Was this the welcoming they'd receive?

"Well hello there." The man smiled. The cold winter air blew his short blonde hair about his face. His eyes were sharp, his nose was perfect and his lips were alluring. The cigarette which he had between his fine looking lips only emphasized on his 'coolness'.

"Hi…" Sakura blushed more. She was halted when he made an advance towards her. The blonde took a step toward her and

-–FLOP!--

He had fallen face first into the snow. Sakura blinked, dumbfounded and he three males behind her sweatdropped. **_'He's not cool…he's an idiot.' _**Theyall thought at once.

"Hahaha! Sorry! My bad." He got up and dusted the snow off himself. "I didn't mean to do that." He placed his hand behind his head and began to laugh nervously.

'**_Great. An idiot escort.' _**Thought Sasuke.

The blonde cleared his throat as an indication to the end of his silly behavior. "Yoshimitsu Yuri." He bowed deeply. "Pleased to meet you all." It would had appeared the joke was over and he was now serious. His tone of voice changed drastically and showed although clumsy he was man who knew what business was at hand.

Each introduced themselves and Yuri quickly turned to a silly grin. "Great! Well now that's outta the way so let's head to the estate." He lead them thought half the village and after about a fifteen minutes they reached the grand Yoshimitsu estates.

The property was elaborate an beautiful. As the doors opened to greet those who arrived, the group saw the most elaborate in households. "Wow...to think we'll actually be staying here." Naruto said with astonishment in his voice. "This is cool…"

"…so…incredible." Sakura said as she looked around. Her eyes were wide like that of little girl who was playing princess.

"It is very beautiful." Sasuke said. He didn't want to appear as uncool as his comrades so he kept the turning heads and 'ooo's and ahhs' to himself.

Kakashi took note to how great the place was. He said nothing but looked around. It seemed heavenly, a grand estate covered in snow. He was really impressed. With Yui living here…she shouldn't be too upset. **_'Maybe she isn't upset at all…'_**

As the group entered the home they were greeted by maids who took off their coats and shoes for them. They also took their possessions and belongings off as well. "They'll be put in rooms for you all." One of the maids said. She hurried off with the other housekeepers and was gone down the hall.

"I'll be giving you all a tour. This way please." They all followed and Sakura and Naruto were amazed by the home's inner beauty the same way they had been by the outer. After about a half an hour of seeing the household Yuri came down to one of the home largest rooms. "And this is the living room. MY family awaits you all inside." He slid open the room doors and the four of them gasped when they saw. It was the most elaborate and formal room in the house. An elaborate fireplace and paintings on every wall. Drapes made of silk and there in the center of the room sophisticated furniture.

Yoshimitsu Kirara sat in the sofa, hair well done and deep red lipstick painted her lips. She wore a kimono made from fine chirimen silk which had stunning floral and abstract designs toward the bottom. She looked to them almost with no expression. "Greetings." She said. The way the fire played with the light of the room made her appear almost wicked.

Yume who had her hair done in two buns smiled sweetly. "Hello." Her kimono was depicted with beautifully stylized crane designs in orange-red and ivory. It was also lined with red fine silk.

"Welcome to our home." Yui was breath taking. Her hair was in a mid-center bun. Lose strands danced around her face. Her lips were painted a deep red and her jade eyes were cold and stern. Her cheeks were tinted with a rose color.

Her body showed well in her kimono. It was from fine damask silk illustrated with lovely floral motifs and abstract designs. The colors of the kimono had orange-red, mustard yellow, blue, gray, and peach against the dusty pink background. Just as Yume's kimono Yui's own was lined with red fine silk as well.

Underneath his mask Kakashi bit his tongue. She looked incredible. So many thoughts ran through her head and his. Seeing each other was like breaking glass.

"Team Seven of Konoha." Kirara said as she arose from her chair. "Good morning." She walked towards Kakashi and bowed. I hope I can trust you with my family's lives."

A/N: THEY HAVE ARRIVED! DRAMA BEGINS!

**Sasuke: Now everything will be a problem.**

**Sakura: Yeah .How will they handle it? **

**Naruto: (Trying to look cool in a corner) How will we handle ours? **

**Sasu/Saku: What? **

**Naruto: (snaps out of his silliness)Nevermind. **

**Magic: Later. **


	4. Meet The Family

A/n: I don't own anything but the O/c's and please keep those reviews coming!

**Sasuke: Yui looked nice last chapter. Kakashi must be hating himself. **

**Naruto: I know if I were him I would. **

**Kakashi: And you two talk about this as if I'm not next to you. **

**Sasu/Naru: …sorry? **

**Sakura: You all don't change do you? Here's the next chapter you guys. Don't forget to review or Kakashi-sensei may not get back with Yui. **

**Kakashi: What? Magic you wouldn't really do that to me right? **

**Magic: If they don't review, maybe. **

**_Chapter 3- Meet The Family_**

"Team Seven of Konoha." Kirara said as she arose from her chair. "Good morning." She walked towards Kakashi and bowed. "I hope I can trust you with my family's lives."

"Yes." Sakura said and the group returned the bow.

"These are my children." Kirara turned and addressed Yui and Yume. "Introduce yourselves."

"Yoshimitsu Yume." Yume bowed. She blinked her green eyes at Sasuke and Naruto and smiled widely. "I'm glad such **fine** looking nin will be protecting me." By her gazed anyone could tell she was interested in Naruto and Sasuke. She seemed like a chibi seductress.

Kakashi held his breath as Yui spoke. In his mouth was an odd and unwanted flavor. "Yoshimitsu Yui." She bowed and the three teens looked to Kakashi from the corner of their eyes. "I am grateful for your help."

"You've already been introduced to Yuri. I hope he didn't make a fool of himself in your presence." Kirara said and glared at her son.

"No, mom, of course not. Hehehe…" He began to laugh nervously and soon sighed. "Okay so I tripped." Kirara frowned bitterly when her son admitted his mistake.

"I had a feeling you'd look foolish somehow." Yume said. "You're such a loser, you loser." She said.

"Hey!" Yuri began.

"That is enough!" Kirara said. Team Seven introduced themselves and Kirara's eyes narrowed sharply when hearing Kakashi's introduction. When their eyes meant she smiled. Kakashi could tell. He could tell such a smile wasn't one people should want from others. It was a smile of hate. He could read it in her.

'_**So her mother hates me.' **_

"So anyways…" Yume ran up to the two teen boys and grabbed on each one's hand. "Like I said I'm Yume! Do you think I'm cute because I think you're cute and everyone says that---" Then Yuri's hand covered her mouth.

"If you don't stop her now, she'll never shut up." After a few moments of awkwardness from the silence Yuri screamed. The small girl had bitten him. "You little cannibal! "

"You're such a loser! I hate you, you loser!" Yume shouted to her eldest sibling. The two went back and forth before Kirara finally opened her mouth.

"Yui please bring our guests to their rooms." Her voice was low and deadly. Yume and Yuri froze up when she looked at them. They were in trouble. "I will see you all for breakfast in about a half an hour." She said to them. With their exit she slid close the room doors. "You two are in so much trouble. So much."

* * *

Team seven followed Yui down the corridor to their rooms. They were all happy to see her once again. For a while they tried to contain their excitement, but after a few minutes Naruto just exploded. "Yui, I missed you." He said and hugged the older blonde. "I was wondering how you were doing! You look great! I'm really glad to see you!" He exclaimed.

"It's good to see you again to Naruto." She said to him. Her voice was dry and empty. It was like she lost her soul.

"Yui, are you alright?" Sakura asked. She could sense from a mile the woman wasn't in good sprits.

"I'm fine. Come. I must show you the rooms you're to be staying in." She pried herself from Naruto and continued to walk down the halls. They all followed in silence. Kakashi knew…

"Here is where you'll be staying. Make yourself at home." The two boys entered the room which they'd be sharing. Not that they would really mind. It was beautiful. Just like every other room in the house. "Enjoy your stay." The two teen males entered the room and saw their things were already set in place. They wouldn't mind they're stay at all.

Sakura's room was the same only with one bed. She thanked Yui and entered. The last room was for Kakashi. He followed Yui to the room. She slid open the doors to his room and turned away to leave. "Yui," Kakashi called. "…how have you been, Yui?" He asked her. The blonde woman slowly turned her head and looked at him coldly.

"I've been cold, and empty…but…nonetheless still living." She proceeded to walk down the hall and Kakashi stood there for an unmoving moment.

As Kakashi walked into his room and sat down on the bed he sighed deeply. The feeling he had in his mouth since he saw her returned. The same feeling he had in his mouth since he arrived was there. The feeling in his mouth was the same as she was. Never had such a sour taste and feeling set upon him. The flavor was poison like.

**She was bitter. **

To think he'd have to stay there, for how long, and deal with that. It'd be too problematic…but a mission was a mission. Despite his feelings, his job would not change, no matter what occurred.

**How would he deal…? **

* * *

As she stomped down there hall her cheeks were red and her lipstick was smeared. Her lip was bleeding as well. She was biting it. "He has the nerve to ask me how I've been? He has some never! Where does…I mean… he knows! He should know how I've felt the past few months! He should know how I have felt!" She slammed her foist into the wall and Yuri walked up behind her.

"I see you've begun to overreact. So being around him really does upset you." Yuri smiled somewhat wickedly to his made statement. You're rather upset, aren't you?"

"Fuck off." She growled lowly.

"You've become very hostile immediately. He really had some power you huh Yui?"

"You always know how to prove me. I can't stand it."

"You can't stand that I provoke you? Or is it you can't stand that you are easily provoked?"

"Shut up. You sound just like him!" Yui gritted her teeth. "Just leave me alone. Quit fucking around me."

"Sorry." Yuri walked pass Yui and stood still. "However Yui…you find yourself in such pain because there is still something embedded in your heart. Something is stuck and it's related to him. It sits on the same spot that won't allow you to get over dad's death. Do yourself a favor."

"What's that?"

"Get over it. Move on. And just quit bitchin'." He walked off, heading to towards the kitchen. "See you at breakfast."

* * *

Sakura went into the boy's bedroom. "Hey guys." She greeted them and sat on Sasuke's bed. "You guys settled in?"

"Not yet." Naruto replied as he put away his weapons. "Did you see Yui's face? It was as if she didn't recognize us. Like she never even knew us." He said. Soon he sat on the bed with Sakura and Sasuke stared out the window.

"More like she didn't want to remember us." Sakura said.

"Or rather, remember Kakashi." Sasuke said. "She seems as cold as snow."

"Yeah…kinda like how you use to be Sasuke." Naruto lay in the bed and frowned. "How come your bed sheets are silkier than mine?" He asked.

"I don't know. Don't ask." Sasuke responded. "As a matter of fact, get out my bed. You have your own."

"Whatever. I know I'm hungry though. I'm going to go see if breakfast is ready." Sakura arose from the bed. "Hey…while we're here you think we should help Kakashi-sensei and Yui?

"Maybe." Said Naruto as he jumped form Sasuke's bed to his own. He dropped himself in it and stared into the ceiling as he lay down. "I'm not sure…"

"It isn't our concern." Sasuke walked over to Sakura and touched her shoulder. "It isn't our business. And besides…" He leaned closer to her neck and whispered into her ear "We have our own situations to attend to." With that he left the room. Naruto glared at him as he left and Sakura's cheeks turned a slight pink.

"How about Breakfast?" He said resentfully. Naruto walked out the room and left the pink haired girl there.

"…Uh-huh."

* * *

Kakashi's deep thought had been interrupted by a knock at his door. He arose from his spot on the bed and opened it. "Yes?" He said. Before him stood a young girl about sixteen years of age. She had black hair and blue eyes. "Can I help you?" He asked.

"Kirara-sama has summoned you to her office Hatake-san." The girl said.

"Oh. May I ask for what reason?"

"To discuss your payments and assignments for this mission."

"Alright then." He stepped out the room and closed the door. He looked to the girl who smiled slightly. "Can I ask your name?"

"You can call me Yumiko. I'm one of Yui-sama's personal maids." She said as she walked down the hall. He followed close behind.

"Oh. Tell me Miss Yumiko, this family…is their anyone in particular that would have anything against them?"

"Not anyone I know of. I've only worked here for three years."

"I see."

"But…there was an attack on this family at one time. It was quite a while ago. A bit before the Yume-chan was born. A group of inja had attacked. It was just about this time. They had attacked and stole many of the village's valuables, and what not, but one more thing had been taken."

"What was that?"

"The life of this village's second leader. Yoshimitsu Kyoshi."

"…Kyoshi?"

"He was killed. No one knows who killed him they say. Yui-chan was the one to discover his body. The anniversary of that death is later this month. The master gets so uptight when this time of year comes." The woman stopped and Kakashi halted as well. She sighed deeply. "Yui-sama…she becomes so saddened. This time of the year is always the hardest on her."

"I would think so. She was the one who found him dead."

"And lately…she's been so cold to everyone. Since she has returned from Konoha she's been so icy. The man she was with hurt her deeply. If I was her I'd never forgive him. What he did was horrible." Yumiko walked on and Kakashi continued to follow.

'**_She hasn't failed to let her family know of our break up. She really is bitter about the whole thing. I should have never have thought she'd be over it. That's not her.' _**

"Here we are." Yumiko knocked the doors to the room and inside Kirara sat a desk. "I've brought Hatake-san ma'am." She said and bowed.

Kirara looked up from her work. "Good. You may leave."

"Yes. By the way ma'am breakfast is in ten minutes."

"I'll be there shortly." She got up from her chair and walked over to Kakashi. "We have matters to discuss. I mean I am your client."

"Yes."

"Please be seated." Kakashi took a seat and Kirara returned to her desk. "There have been murders around the village lately. Many of the wealthiest men here have been killed. Whatever values they owned was stolen. Although prosperous our village doesn't have ninja. It is major's mostly on business. This is a settling place of many merchants. Some have bodyguards hired from certain other villages. That is usually the most protection apart of this village."

"Understood. So I was hired because now you fear for your family."

"Very much indeed. If anything was to happen to my children I do not know what I would do. They are the most precious thing to me."

"Yes. That I understand."

"Yui is most important to this village. She is its next leader. "

"Your son? Why have you not chosen him?"

"You could say he is more troublesome amongst the village women."

"Really?"

"He is a bit too flirtatious. Since he was legal."

"Ahh…"

"Anyways you're payment will be as so: I will pay now a quarter of the fee. The rest will be paid according to how well you protect my family."

"Fair."

"So this much is just for your arrival." Kirara showed Kakashi the amount of money she'd be paying. Kakashi's eye widened when he counted the zeros.

"…"

"This is just for now. I hope it isn't too little."

"It amazes me how you have so much prosperity and no shinobi around."

"..I know. Pure irony…isn't it?" Kirara put away the documents and information of the pay. "Now why don't we walk to breakfast together, there are some other things I'd like to speak to you about."

"Yes." He arose and followed the brunette out the room. Kakashi watched her as she walked. She was as shapely as her daughter. The family seemed to be filled with beautiful people.

"Your children…" Kakashi began.

"Yes?"

"They got the blonde hair from their father?"

"….Yes. Yui looks most like her father. Kyoshi was handsome as she is beautiful. It still is such a shame…even today. I miss Kyoshi each day."

"…Must be hard. For you and her."

"Oh yes. I hope one day Yui will find such a man of her own. One who cares and loves her. A man who would never hurt her, like her last loves did. The first abandoned her and then…recently..that one from Konoha…you wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you.?" Kirara asked as she slid open the doors to the dinning hall.

"No…I wasn't familiar with Yui while she was in my village." He lied.

"Oh? I don't understand that…I mean, according to her she was _very_ familiar with **you**." Kirara's eyes narrowed and she frowned. "You may be my protection but it doesn't mean I'll be fond of you. You hurt my child and for that I will hold **everything** against you. One mistake and I'll have you and your team out of my house and seek protection elsewhere. And if I remember correctly, according to your Hokage…your village needs my money."

"…"

"Don't mess up." Kirara sat down at the table and smiled wickedly to Kakashi. He looked at her as if unfazed by her words, when it fact it made him somewhat nervous…

'**_She does hate me. I knew it. Still I can't let that get me. Tsunade-sama needs this money for the village. We're already in mild debt. No matter how they treat me I will take it and perform my best. Such is my job.' _**

A/N: I know you guys hate Kirara, but don't! She's just really protective of Yui. So..um…

**Sasuke: No one cares…**

**Sakura: Kirara doesn't seem so bad….**

**Naruto: But Yui is really upset. **

**Magic: All that drama and more the chapter. You guys we ready. You're gonna get into a lot of stuff too. LATER!**


	5. Kazuya Yuki

A/n: Okay...I'm been moving lately so I'm at a big disadvantage with some stuff. Like I've been bouncing from computer to computer and school, and blah, blah, etc. Just try and work with me here. If the chapter sucks I really do apologize. I've been a little anxious lately. (P.S Forgive My Typos!)

**Sasuke: Shut up. You are always at some disadvantage. Loser. **

**Naruto: Don't piss her off. Remember last time? **

**Kakashi: I think Magic is too sad. (Pokes her) Hey…? **

**Magic: (glares) **

**All: (shiver) **

Oh…oh…well…listen…I'm enjoying the fact everyone is reading my fic! I love you all so much. I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!

**Naruto: You love your fans more than us? **

**Kakashi: More than me? **

**Sakura: And me? **

**Naruto: Eew, that's just lesbian love right there. Wait, no...That's hot. Really hot. Start making out then maybe I can join and we three way.**

**Sakura: You **

**Sasuke: Are **

**Kakashi: Sick. I've taught you well. I'm proud. (Pats his head) **

**Sasu/Saku: …Idiots. (Sigh) **

**Magic: Disturbing much…By the way…to keep this fic within my limit of ten chapters and a prologue some chapters will be longer than others. This is one of those chapters. Get comfy.**

**Sakura: It's time for chapter four. Enjoy. **

**_Chapter 4-Kazuya Yuki (Questions)_**

"Don't mess up." Kirara sat down at the table and smiled wickedly to Kakashi. He looked at her as if unfazed by her words, when in fact it made him somewhat nervous…

'**_She does hate me. I knew it. Still I can't let that get me. Tsunade-sama needs this money for the village. We're already in mild debt. No matter how they treat me I will take it and perform my best. Such is my job.' _**

Kakashi took seat beside Kirara and sighed. "I was hoping that wouldn't have affect on my work here. I was wrong."

"Very wrong." As everyone else entered and took seat Kirara's eyes studied the teens of team seven. Her eyes narrowed and she whispered to the Konoha jounin. "You are very wrong, Hatake-san. My daughter did not fail to tell me of how you hurt her. As a matter of fact…" Yui sat across from Kakashi with Yume beside her. "When she arrived here she was covered in mud and she had dried tears on her cheeks. After cleaning her up I asked what happened. Despite the length of time that passed before she spoke, she said something to me. Since then…I always had some hate for this Hatake Kakashi man she told me of."

"I see." Yui's cold eyes met Kakashi's sad eye and the man sighed. "Still, that has nothing to do with my mission. Please don't let it be a factor in your judgment of my job."

"…I will give you more than one chance. But if you do fail to do what is right I will remove you and rehire someone else."

"That's fine."

Once everyone was seated and breakfast was served the simple conversation had ended. No one else opened their mouths. The only communication was made by eye contact. Yui found herself glaring at Kakashi most her meal. Yuri saw his sister's cold stares and soon was tired of the frozen atmosphere. He then opened his mouth and said the dumbest thing at that moment.

"So Hatake-san you knew Yui when she was in the village?" He asked. Everyone dropped their chopstick. With an exception to Yume, and Yuri of course.

Yui found her blood was boiling and that her face was as red as her lipstick. Kakashi looked to Yuri with slight anger in his one eye. Yume looked around the room and the kitchen staff was listening on the other side of the door.

"Well?" He asked.

"Yuri…keep your mouth shut." She said behind clenched teeth. "You ask too many questions."

Yume leant over and whispered to Yui. "I told you he was a dumb loser." She looked at Kakashi and smiled slightly. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to." She told the man.

"He sure does. He's works for us and obeys our orders." The blonde man smiled. He was truly an evil bastard. Sometimes…

"…Well...yes." He said reluctantly. At that moment Yui glared death daggers to her brother who sat right of Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke glared at Yuri as well. He was angering them by provoking their teaching. Sucha manipulate son of a bitch.

"Ahh. Well in what ways were you familiar with her?" He continued.

"That's not your concern!" Yui slapped her hand upon the table causing it to shake violently.

"Let him speak Yui." Kirara looked to her angry and fuming daughter. "And sit down. You know I don't tolerate such manners at this table." She then retuned her gaze to Kakashi. "Go on Hatake-san. Please do say something. I'd love to hear it." She said most pleasantly. Naruto wrinkled his nose to how false she sounded.

"…I'd think, for Yui's sake, it would be best to refrain from continuing this conversation." Kakashi answered. "Excuse me." He withdrew from his seat at the table and exited the dinning hall.

Yui found herself shaking her head in some feeling of guilt. He had looked rather hurt. She lowered her head and soon left the room as well. Every watched as she exited and walked down the hall. **_'I can't believe they'd do that…'_**

Sakura looked to the remaining Yoshimitsu and frowned. "I'm very ashamed of myself." Yume said. "You have hurt him. As our guest Hatake-kun, shouldn't be forced into an uncomfortable situation." Yume looked to the three teens and sighed. "To you three I am sorry. May I please be excused mother?" Yume asked.

Kirara frowned. She didn't want any of her children siding with Kakashi. "Fine." Yume arosefrom her seat and hurried out the room.

"…I really can be a jerk, huh mother?" Yuri asked the woman. He seemed proud of the fact.

"Yes…good job." She smiled back. "If you want to drive our security away!" She then growled. Yuri saw his actions didn't please his mother but in fact infuriated her. "You idiot! How dare you! Keep your mouth closed and out of Yui's business. Anything you go after that is not your concern always, in someway, screws me over. Now behave." Her eyes became icy to the man and he shivered slightly.

"Sorry mother. I—"

"I am done with my meal. Call Kimiko. Have her clear up and prepare for dinnerlater. And tell her I wish for lobster." Kirara left the room and the three Konoha chuunin watched her as she exited. Immediately after her leave they glared at Yuri. So far he appeared to be an idiot and a jerk. The Yoshimitsu were beautiful and troublesome people indeed.

* * *

"Hatake—kun?" Yume called. She stood on the other side of the man's door and slowly he slid it open. "Hello." She said somewhat sadly.

"Hi. Yume, right?"

"Yes. I am very glad you remembered. Uh…I wanted to apologize for my mother and brother's cruel behavior just now. They had no right. None whatsoever. Again I am sorry."

"No need for an apology Miss Yume."

"But…" Yume's eyes darted around quickly and returned to her look at Kakashi. "Were you with my sister at one time?"

"…At one time." He said. "But…that was a while ago. So…just don't bother yourself with it, okay?" He smiled slightly. Although Yume could not see behind his ever so famous mask, she knew he was somewhat smiling…and somewhat frowning too.

"Okay then. I'll be off now." Yume turned to leave when Kakashi called her.

"Yume, can I ask you a question? About your father?"

"…" The young girl fell silent and her face became a pale color. "Um…I mean…" She shook her head slighty and before she knew it tears welled up. "I'd prefer it if you…if I never have to speak of my father…Hatake-san…"

"I'm sorry." He knelt down and touched the girl on her shoulder. "Forgive me. I just wanted to know some things. But if you don't feel like telling me, that's okay."

Yume nodded and sniffled a bit. She bit her thumb and mumbled something in coherent. Her eyes looked away from Kakashi's image and quickly to the floor. "…you…"

"Yes?"

"You look like my plush scarecrow." And an awkward silence followed.

* * *

A dark image stood in a tree. He had midnight blue eyes, and hair as black as night. He wore a cloak and smiled wickedly as he watched an angry Yui stomp down the hall. "Sweet Yui…" He breathed. He licked his lips and smiled once more. "Don't worry…I'm back. This time...I'll take you with me." He jumped from the tree and hoped unto the roof top. He followed Yui's every step despite him not being to see her.

Yui slid the door shut to her room and frowned. The blonde woman took seat at her vanity and quickly took up a napkin to wipe away the make-up and her recent tears. She picked up a fine made brush, structured from glass. Yui brushed her shoulder length hair; her green eyes staring into the mirror before her. After a minute she then threw her brush to the dark wooden floor. Fragments of the item lay everywhere. Blood trickled down her hand.

"Why would they do that…?" She asked. Her fingers crept over her neck as if looking for something. "Why…would they…?" When realizing nothing was around her neck for her fingers to look for she sighed. For the first time since she left Konoha she realized she no longer had her locket. But why did it cross her mind now? Now after she's tried to cope with everything…why? Why had it suddenly hit her?

The dark man sat in the snow. With his head leant against the wall of the house he smiled. He took a spot beneath Yui's window. "You should know they're cruel Yui. You know just like I do." He whispered.

'**_Daddy…I find myself less angry…and more saddened. Why? Is this because he's here?' _**She touched the mirror before her and tears began to well up again. The thin stream of blood on her fingers stained the glass. "Is because he's here when I can't handle it?" Her hands covered her face and she cried. Her sobbing could be heard outside the door of her room. An eavesdropping girl stood to the other side.

"Yui…" Sakura said. She sighed and looked out the window. The snow fell. Still…she felt the same anxiousness as before. Maybe even more.

"Yui…do not worry… I will take care of all your problems. And first…" The dark man looked to the sky. "I'll start with that man from Konoha. Oh Yui," He rose up from the ground and gazed into the window. "you don't have to worry anymore."

"_You don't have to worry anymore Yui." Kyoshi said as he stroked the young girl's hair. "Shh…don't cry." The little girl cried in his lap. "Try and be big and strong, for daddy's sake okay?" _

"_But…why did…why did they have to die?" She cried again. _

"_Because there comes a time in life…when people go. They were some of those people. Besides…if they didn't help Konoha defeat the Kyuubi then we'd all be…someplace else now." _

"…_Yuki-kun is so sad now. Both his mom and dad are now… gone! He'll be so sad he'll never speak to me again!" _

"_Yui…don't worry anymore….because…I'll take care of Kazuya now." _

"_What?" She looked into the man's eyes and he wiped away her tears. _

"_From now on…we'll care for Kazuya-kun, okay?" _

"…_so he'll be here with us? From now on…?" _

"_Yes. Don't worry anymore Yui-chan." Kyoshi hugged his daughter whose tears landed gracefully upon his robe. "Okay?" _

"…_Okay." _

Kazuya Yuki stood outside and smiled. "Don't worry…" With that he simply vanished as if never there. No footprints left in the snow, or any other trace. Nothing could be detected. Nothing could be found. It was as if he existed as a man who was like shadow.

Yui's arms were spread across the vanity table. Her hand rested against her arms. She slept in result of her cries. In her head memories of her father played. On her cheeks, tears that seemed like crystals slowly slid down. Such pain and sadness as a result of a broken heart and the long time it would take to mend it.

* * *

"Well…how is Yui-chan?" Naruto asked as Sakura entered the boys' room. "Is she mad still?"

"No, she was…she was crying. I think Kakashi-sensei being here hurts her, just as bad as it does him. I worried about them both."

"…Yeah…I mean…what went on in there was way out of order. Besides, I didn't get to finish eating being that they cleared out the dining room soon after."

"I told you both that it's not our place or concern. Leave it alone. Kakashi can deal with it in his own way. Or maybe not even bother with it at all." Sasuke said. He lay in his bed and sighed. "Our mission is to guard the family, not pry into Yui and Kakashi's love life."

"…We know." Sakura said and sat on the end of his bed. "I just can't leave them though. I mean I care about Yui a lot, and I'm really worried about Kakashi-sensei…are you sure they'll be okay?"

"I never said they' be okay." He got up and walked towards the window.

"…Sasuke you didn't need to say that."

"You need to understand what I say when I say it. It makes everything easier. I don't have to repeat myself that way."

"You've been a real bitch lately Sasuke." Naruto walked towards him and glared.

"Okay now you guys stop." Sakura stepped in between the two males and pushed them a distance form another. "You guys, let's not fight about this."

"I wasn't going to fight him, just set him straight."

"That's enough Naruto!" Sakura yelled. The two boys glared at another with fire in their eyes. Sakura sighed and crossed her arms. "You two are really childish, you know that. I mean what is there for you to fight about?"

"You." Sasuke responded. He looked at the girl and Sakura felt her cheeks change color.

"What…whatever. Ugh! Sometimes I can be around you guys!" She stomped out the room and Naruto smiled.

"She's sometimes like Yui."

* * *

Kazuya Yuki walked along the roof top of the Yoshimitsu home. He looked into the white colored sky. He loved the snow…just as much as he loved---

He frowned when an older man appeared behind him. "Want do you want?" Kazuya frowned and turned to the grey haired male. With his dark eyes he glared at him, hoping he'd get the idea to leave.

"We have a heist tonight. You're coming this time, right?"

"No. I never go. I'm only here for Yui."

"All you do is watch the girl. You need to be with us so that we can rob this place clean and vanish. I've got information on Gatou's son." (A/n: Remember the guy who hired Zabuza? Right? Try and remember despite the fact that was like…a billion years ago.)

"I don't care for _your_ wants. I'm here for **my** wants. Don't you ever forget that."

"You hold too many attachments to this place. Stop being sentimental. What happened to the cold blooded murder that killed Kyoshi? Have you left him behind?"

"Watch your words."

"We came here years ago to take all the values this place had to offer. We failed when we tried. Then you came along. Angry and depressed you gave yourself to us. We trained you and made you our best man. After all that we came back and were ready to destroy all this after taking everything. We killed Yoshimitsu Kyoshi! **You** killed him! And you stopped it...you threw off our whole operation because you saw that bitch crying. Sometimes I wonder."

"Keep doing that, then. I'm still not coming with you tonight."

"Fine. But you know when the time comes to take this place," The older man stomped his foot against the paneling of the roof. "You better be ready. With your whore or not."

"That won't be easy with those Konoha-nin. You've seen them."

"Then I guess you should hurry and get her now." The grey man vanished and Kazuya frowned.

"Don't interfere Yachi." He muttered.

* * *

As the afternoon quickly approached Kakashi found himself walking around the house. He looked around and observed the numerous paintings on the walls, and images of the family. They seemed to be a very egotistical bunch. Or maybe it was just Kirara forcing them to be.

He found himself staring at one particular image. A long and narrow hallway. On the wall was a ceiling to floor, life-sized painting of Yoshimitsu Kyoshi.

In his arms he held a new baby girl, and to his right was Yui. Yuri stood proudly to his father's left. The illustrious image of the man and his three children could tell the entire world who he was.

"I see you found my father." Yuri said and walked towards the silver haired man.

"Yes. And a young version of yourself. You all look just as he does."

"We think Yui looks like him most." Yuri stood to the left of the painting and leant against the wall. He reached in his pocket and pulled from it a cigarette and a lighter. "It's about that time of day."

"I understand."

"This morning…I'm sorry for my behavior okay. No hard feelings right? I was just….well…"

"It's fine."

"Okay then. I see. I mean all I was doing was just messin' around. I like to fuck with Yui's head. It's funny." He placed the cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

"…Yes, it is amusing."

"She said you use to irritate her all the time."

"I did. Only because she appeared rather beautiful when she was angry."

"Can I ask you why?"

"Why what?"

"Why you broke up with her. If you were here when she returned you'd feel he utmost sorrow for the girl. I mean….I had only seen her break down like that once. It was when dad passed."

"…"

"But, you're not obligated to answer. That's your choice you know."

"I'll tell you as man to man. A man who cares about Yui like I do. I wanted to protect her."

"So you hurt her?"

"Sometimes that is the only choice.

"…Yeah. I guess…I feel I can trust you to keep us alive. You seem like you do care."

"All this from short a short conversation. You're---"

"My father trusted the woman who is your Hokage now. As his son I can trust one of her best."

"You all are quite a group." Kakashi nodded to the man. He slipped his hands in his pockets. Kakashi then looked up to the image on the wall once again and sighed. "Really you all are."

"Well...that's it?I know you have more to say."

"Could you tell me about your family? About your father."

* * *

Yui awoke from her spot at her vanity table. She looked at her surroundings and saw the floor around her had broken glass. She looked into the mirror and saw it was stained with dried blood. She looked at her own hand and saw there was dried blood there as well. Yui gently touched the open cut and jumped a bit to the pain. It stung. A knock was heard at her door.

"Come in." She said.

Sakura slid open the doors and entered the room. "Good Afternoon Yui." She greeted. Sakura looked around the room and saw the glass and blood. "Oh, what happened?"

"I had a moment."

"Okay. Um...are you hurt?" Sakura cautiously walked across the floor as to avoid stepping in the glass. You showed her hands and Sakura sighed. "It's just an open cut. I can fix that." Maybe you should get the maids to clean it up."

"No, its fine. I'll get it all. It's my fault."

"No…that's okay. I'll do it. You shouldn't clean it up with your cut."

"Thanks." After the mess had been cleared Yui sat in her bed while Sakura wrapped a bandage around her hand. The two had been silent for the while and conversation broke out when Yui said the most unexpected thing. "How has Kakashi been, Sakura?" She asked.

"Huh? Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yeah. Since I…since I left…"

"Oh…well…he's okay. Since you left he talks less. And…well we all are really busy so we don't see each other unless it's for a mission. We all have been rather distant lately."

"You and the boys?"

"…oh…we're okay…sometimes."

"Have they fought over you yet?" She asked abruptly.

"What?" Sakura turned a slight shade of red when Yui asked. "Well…not really…."

"Oh. If not yet, they soon will. I can tell by the way they look at you. Sasuke was really eyeing you during breakfast. More like he rather eat you than what was in his plate." She smiled weakly.

"Oh…well…you shouldn't say those things!" Sakura pouted. "So...what about you? How have things been going?"

"…I've haven't been this upset in years. Kakashi really wounded me. I…"

"You still hurt."

"Yeah."

"Yui...do you still…do you still love Kakashi-sensei?"

"I…I don't know."

**A/N: Don't hate the Yoshimitsu, please. And no! I will not surround the fic around my O/c. This is a romance for Kakashi. Now that all the familiarities are out of the way things will get better. You've met the villain, I'm slowly unraveling some stuff…you know…REVIEW! Next chapter tensions more than increases between Yui and Kakashi when ---**

**Naruto: If you tell them it'll suck. **

**Sasuke: Pretty much. **

**Sakura: Keep from saying too much.**

**Magic: FINE! Just review guys. Gimme some ideas for Yui and Kakashi to get involved in a fight and let's see how the next chapter goes! LATER DAYS! By the way, my updating days depend on hard school become for me. Right about now I got like three papers and a book to read, a presentation on the 28th and my birthday the 25th a stupid dinner party to plan for this occasion(no its not Thanksgiving, but soon after)…so…don't hope for me to write so much. That and I hate my new living space….anyways…**

**Naruto: BYE! Don't listen to her anymore and go! Just…run! Don't forget to review. See you next time. **


	6. Closer, Further

A/n: I'm old now. I mean...I'm old. Dude…age is mean...my birthday was on the 25th...day right after Thanksgiving….hm...I find myself listening to Fall Out Boy's "Dance Dance" Way awesome. Uh...updates will be slow and unexpected as usual…so...don't hope for anything too soon after this chapter. This…may suck. Ugh! I'm miserable. Oh! I find myself listening to Chris Brown's "Run It" also…yeah…God I'm old. And I suck.Forgive my many typos..I'm old and lazy...(grumbles)

**Sasuke: Shut up. **

**Kakashi: Leave her alone. (Hugs Magic) Age is nothing but a number. **

**Magic: But you're old already! In this fic you're like thirty! WAH! (Cries against Kakashi's shoulder) **

**Naruto: Now you made mommy cry. Kakashi-sensei you're just…ugh...I don't like you sometimes. **

**Kakashi: (pats Magic on back) What I do? **

**Sakura: You all are just…such a problem. It's the next chapter**.

**Closer, Further (Memories) **

"_Yui...do you still…do you still love Kakashi-sensei?" _

"_I…I don't know." She looked at her hand as Sakura continued to wrap the bandage around it. "Sometimes...I try and pretend I never felt anything for him. It hurts less that way… sometimes…" Yui shook her head and Sakura frowned. "I mean…it makes everything less difficult for me. I'm not as stressed as when I first came home…" _

"_Oh. Okay. Well…I hope you get over your pains. I want you to be happy." _

"_Okay. I'll try." Yui gave a weak smile to the pink haired girl and sighed. _

Sakura lay in her bed remembering the conversation she had with Yui over two weeks ago. Time slowly passed as they stayed in the home of the Yoshimitsu. Their mission was protection…bodyguards. The amount of time didn't matter. As long as they were paid for their duties…that's all that mattered.

She rolled over under the sheets and pulled her pillow closer to her. Things were still tense. Things were still icy. Yui never looked or spoke to Kakashi, and he never looked to spoke to her either. It was like an iceberg. The two were just so…Sakura was tired. The day was long and boring. Nothing but simple scouting and collecting information from the other members of the village. It was rather troublesome.

"Sakura?" Naruto called from outside her room door. He knocked a couple times and the girl reluctantly sat up in the bed. She headed towards the door and slid it open.

"Yes?" She said with a slightly annoyed tone. Sleep was getting to her.

"Oh. I was wondering if you had gone to bed yet."

"No. I was trying to, but…" She looked away and tied her loosened bed robe around her body tighter.

"…oh…well…I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd see if you were still up…I mean Sasuke already went to bed."

"It is kind of late."

"Yeah. I...I was thinking about Yui and Kakashi-sensei. It's been really dead around here. Since we came up until now."

"Yup."

"Uh…can I come in?"

"Huh? Sure." The blonde entered the room and took seat on Sakura's bed. She closed the door and walked over him. She sat beside Naruto and sighed. "It's been really bad. Horrid."

"Yeah. I can't think of any way of helping them."

"…I know. Me neither." The two of them sat there in silence for a while and stared into the dark woodened floor. The cold wind could be heard from outside. It was like the howling of a wolf. The sound was almost haunting. No. It **was** haunting. Sakura found her arm wrapped Naruto's. She did not know why she felt a bit scared...or maybe she wasn't at all frightened. Maybe she just wanted to touch him. Maybe she just wanted a rest for her sleepy head. She didn't know. She didn't really care either.

"What do you think about us Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"Hm?" She closed her eyes and leant her head against his shoulder. "What?" She was falling asleep.

"What do you think about us?"

"Huh? Our team?" She mumbled. Loose strands of her hair fell over her forehead and her breathing slowed a bit. She was almost out of it. Sleep was all she was thinking about. Naruto's words were far away from her ears.

"No. You and I."

"I…I don't know…friends…"

"That's it?"

"I'm not sure…" She answered absent mindedly. "Maybe more, maybe not."

"What about us before?"

"Naruto….I'm tired."

"No!" Naruto shook Sakura gently and woke her up, trying to bring her back to reality. Sleep wasn't going to keep him form getting his answers. "What happened to when we were together? You use to let me kiss you. You'd let me hold you! I want that back!"

Sakura rubbed her eyes and mumbled. "Naruto, you and I decided we'd put that behind us. We agreed when Sasuke came back it would be over. Don't start crying about it now."

"No! I mean…how it is fair that I finally get you then Sasuke come back and I lose you again! If that's the case what was our relationship based on?"

"Nothing." She said coldly. Naruto's eyes widened to her frozen like words. Was it the sleep talking or was it her. "We only came together because we were both hurt by Sasuke. All we sought was comfort."

"You don't mean that."

"I don't know what I mean. I'm tired as hell. So...just…Could you just go?" She returned back under the sheets of the bed and pulled them to her neck. "And close the door when you leave."

Naruto stood up from the bed and looked at her. The girl, who at one time kissed him and cried in his arms, was now….he couldn't identify. Did she really care for Sasuke so much she'd push away what they had while he was not there? All that time of holding each other in the dark and crying tears when no one looked…did she really just disregard it all? "Good night Sakura." Naruto left the room and slid the door close.

Sakura bit her lip as she faced the wall. She had been cold to Naruto…as cold as Sasuke was to her at one time. What was going on amongst the three of them? When did all the mixed emotions start coming in? **_'I'm so sorry Naruto…we can't be anything until…until I understand where we are. And what is to become of us…' _**

'**_Sakura…she's just tired. That's why. Yeah…she couldn't have meant that…right?' _**As Naruto walked down the hall he passed Kakashi, not even knowing he was there.

* * *

The silver haired jounin looked at his, at one time, student. Naruto had his ups and downs. Kakashi knew this. At that moment, though, he looked more downtrodden than anything he knew in the boy. The same expressions he had while Sasuke had been gone those years. His depression had been so bad he didn't notice him in the hallway.

Kakashi's eyes followed Naruto's image until he faded into the darkness of his room. Kakashi sighed and walked down the hallway. His feet against the cool wooden floor. At this moment he wished he had worn his bed slippers. Not that him complaining about it would magically place them on his feet… it was just a thought.

After walking down the hall for a few minutes Kakashi was in the hall with Kyoshi's painting. The large image was the only place where he felt as ease around the entire household. The image of the man before made him think of his sensei. They had they same kind look upon their faces. It appeared that they could have almost been relatives. Who knows…maybe they were? Yeah. Crazy thoughts as a result in lack of sleep. He shook his head. He was tried. The weather made him lethargic.

"Some is still up." He said as he heard footsteps approach. He turned his head to see Yui in a white robe. Her cheeks were rosy red and her eyes wee hazed. "Can't sleep I see."

"Since when did you start speaking to me?"

"Well…I said something expecting you not to respond."

"Whatever." The blonde walked up next to him and leant against the wall. "Yuri tells me he sees you all the time."

"Well….I like this picture."

"Why?"

"I just do."

"Bullshit."

"Come now. I don't think such disrespect need be displayed before your father's image."

"…."

"He makes me think of my sensei."

"Huh?"

"Your father looked a lot like my sensei. Uzumaki Arashi (1).Yondaime."

"Oh. Well…I thought he favored Naruto."

"That too. I mean the man was the boy's father. He just died before Naruto could even recognize. So the kid grew up with no family."

"Oh…it makes me think of someone I once knew. A long time ago."

"You know…this is the first real conversation you and I have had since we broke up. It feels like an eternity. Speaking to you again. I mean..I've been here for a while and this is the most we've said to another."

"It may be the last we say also. You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" Yui crossed her arms and pouted.

"What?" Kakashi looked at the blonde and sighed. "I have a tendency to say the wrong things at the wrong time. At least, when around you."

"You know I should have just gone to bed." Yui turned to leave when she felt his hand grab her wrist. "Let go."

"…I don't need you to be…there's no need to be bitter Yui."

"How would you know!" She turned to face him and before she knew it she was shouting. "You aren't the one suffering! It wasn't you who came home in tears to her family! It wasn't you who had her heart broken! You have no idea the pain I've gone through in my life! I can be as bitter as I want! So don't you dare---"

"I thought we were the same."

"…"

"I thought that we knew the same pain. The same great pain of loss. Pain only that, I thought you understood the way I needed you to. This is why I found myself so attached to you that time." He released her and sighed.

"You think saying that will let me be okay with this all? I… don't… don't care anymore." Kakashi's eyes widened to the woman's words. "I just want it to be over."

"Over? You want this to end?"

"Yes. No more pain. The less I deal with you, the better I'll feel."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. So just let's go back to how it was when you came." Yui marched down the hall and vanished in the darkness. For some particular reason Kakashi felt what occurred was his fault in some way. It was his fault. It was his fault. All of it.…everything. Even after the break up…he'd still screw up. He was an old fool. More and more he found that Gai was even more right than before. Damn. That thought hurt.

'**_Gai being correct about my love life...that's a headache.' _**Kakashi faced the image on the wall again and frowned. Everything was slowly deteriorating…slowly.

He stood there for a good ten minutes before moving. As he retuned to his room, he heard crying from a familiar voice. Kakashi leaned his ear against the room door and heard the cries of his former student. Even Sakura was hurt. Along with his depression his team had their own problems. Everyone had their own problems….just as he did.

* * *

Kirara sat in the living room. With a glass of red wine pressed against her lips and a lively fireplace before her, she contemplated. "You know you're only making this harder on yourself."

"I…I couldn't sleep mom." Yui walked over to the brunette and sat down beside her. "I keep thinking about him." She lay her head against the shoulder of the older woman and sighed deeply. "You were right."

"…Aren't I always?" The two women sat in utter silence. The only noise heard at that moment was the crackling of the fire. Kirara placed down the glass of wine and for the first time in eight years hugged her daughter. "Aren't I always right when it comes to protecting you?"

"…mother...more than anything...I want it to stop hurting. Being near him reminds me of other pains form before. So many other pains…."

"_Where are you going?" A teenage Yui called to a tall and dark young man. She grabbed his hand and brought it to her cheek. "Why…?" _

"_I can't stay here anymore…I won't. Not so they can do anymore of these things to me. Not so they can say anything else." _

"_NO! So what if they say such things? I still love you! Yuki please don't leave." _

"_You're family doesn't approve of my being around you. They think I've become to dark. I won't remain for such criticism!" He snatched his hand from the blonde woman and turned his back to her. "So…let's just end it here." _

"_No…I don't want you to leave…" She hugged the male form behind and cried against his back. "Will you come back?" She cried into the texture of his coat._

"_..Sometime…when I come back I'll come for you. I'll…come back. Then I'll prove to all the people of this village what I'm really capable of. They'll see…they'll see…"_

"_I love you…and no one else." _

"_No. There's still someone." He whispered to himself and narrowed his eyes. He became angry to the thought of Yoshimitsu Kyoshi. Kazuya pushed the blonde woman away kissed her lips for a last time and left into the night cold. _

_Yui stood there, her white nightgown blown by the cold air. She would be sick come morning…but she didn't care. Nothing mattered that moment. Nothing would matter until… _

_XXX_

"_Yui!" Yuri ran through the snow. As he ran, leaving behind the home which was now in flames, he breathed heavily. Out of nowhere in the winter season rain began to fall. The rain, washing away the snow, and putting out the burning flames on the village, began to fall. "Yui where are you?" He shouted. He found the young girl crying in a dark alley way. "YUI!" He ran towards her. _

_In her arms she held the sleeping Yume. Hot tears slid down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot. "Yuri…" _

"_Yui, are you alright?" He kneeled down to his sibling. Despite the fact his hands were numb, and bleeding he cared nothing for them...nothing for anything until he knew what happened to his sisters. "I'm here now. Don't worry…" _

"_Daddy…he's…" She rocked back and forth, tears still streaming down her face. _

"_What happened?" He looked upon the blanket in which Yume was wrapped in. The blanket had streaks of blood across it. He examined Yui further and saw her entire wear was covered in dried blood. "Are you hurt?" _

"_Daddy…he's gone Yuri."_

"_Gone?" _

"_Dead." _

"…" _His eyes widened and he drew in deep breaths. The cold air chilled his lungs and no longer could he even feel his arms, but with all that he had left in him he hugged the woman which was his sister. _

"_He is gone." She cried against his shoulder. Her hot tears against his bare skin felt like fire in the cold of the winter night. He swore he could feel the scorching of his skin when they fell. Even in the cold rain his flesh burned. "He's dead." She whispered._

"You hold on to painful thing too often. You really should let go." She arose from her spot and headed to the fire. She put it out, leaving the room in darkness. "To bed now. It will soon be 4:00 in the morning. Day break is soon." Kirara left the room and Yui sat there in the darkness. Exactly 3:50am on September 16th the prior year, she realized she loved Kakashi. She found her self in love after she promised never to be again….who'd think not too soon after the love she found it would be taken? No one. Especially her. She covered her face with her hands and began to cry. **_'I really am weak.' _**

Yume stood by the door with her plush scarecrow held to her chest. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and sighed. Maybe someone could do something for her sister…

Kazuya watched the shadowed figure of Yui through the window. He had spent months stalking her…he would not leave until ready. "I've come back for you, just like I said I would."

* * *

Kakashi lay under the sheets of his bed staring into the white ceiling. He blinked his eyes and sighed deeply. As his eye lids slowly fell all he could imagine was her being happy again. Her feeling pleasure when around him once more…not that she was much of either of these two in the relationship they had…still...one thing he wished for again…was her smile. A smile which he made a mistake in giving up…that was it! He'd leave it no more! He had to tell her he loved her. He had to let her know. He had to let her know…

No. He couldn't…because…he still could not remain with her. Even if he admitted all the feelings he had contained inside of him…what would it mean if he could not be with her? If to protect her from further heartbreak, and closer to outlooks for a better future, he'd have to keep his feelings in his head and there alone. No one else was to know…no one else was meant to know…

A faint knock was heard at the door. Kakashi opened his eyes and looked around the room. The knock was heard again and he arose from his bed. He slowly slid the door open and looked around the hall. No one to his vision.

"Down here Hatake-san." Yume said politely.

Kakashi looked down to the female. She was a small child. How was he to see her when she stood way down there? "Yes? Goodnight Yumechan."

"Um….yeah…" She fiddled with her fingers and an awkward silence played a long and empty tune. Kakashi cleared his throat a couple of times, but no words left the girl's mouth.

"Have you anything to say. What is your particular reason for coming?"

"My sister…when she is around you…since you've come here….she is more sad then I have seen her. It depresses me."

"…I don't know what you want me to do."

"Tell her you're sorry." She muttered.

"…"

"Say sorry. I mean…so what if you don't love her, or do? Just apologize. What happened when she was in your village brought her to tears of never seen her in. And...if you're a good person like my Mr. Scarecrow doll is then you will say sorry!" Yume dropped the doll and grabbed the leg of the jounin. In her eyes tears welled up and fell to the floor. Her bright green eyes glowed with an energy that he once saw in Yui. Something he missed…the little girl was right…. "While you're at that could you possibly hook me up with Sasuke-san, or Naruto-kun? Either of them would be fine because they're both really hot."

Kakashi sweat dropped. Even here females pursued his male students. From the housemaids to Yume. Either Sasuke or Naruto would turn heads. Naruto was sometimes just plain adorable. This made the younger help of the household so fond of him. Sasuke was just...Sasuke. This sent the body temperature of the older help through the roof. Kakashi probably would have such attention if the woman of the house didn't hate him so. The only gossip concerning him was negative. Things like heartbreaker and wicked bastard was the only thing he could get. Still…

"Yume…okay…I'll…I'll apologize to her. It's just...I'm not sure she'll want to hear it."

"Don't worry I'll get her to listen."

* * *

Yui awoke to a strange feeling hanging over her. It was early hours of the morning. She looked around the room and slightly shivered. She was still in the living room. A loose blanket had been draped over her. "Who put this here?" She asked herself. Her eyes traveled around the room again and saw one of the many windows in the room had been left ajar. She got up from her spot on the chair and walked towards the window about to close it. Another awkward feeling touched her. "What..the…?" Her mind became clouded with memories of her father, her childhood…and "Yuki?" She whispered into the air. She shook her head and pulled in the window. Her mind felt blurry and she looked to the cock to see it was minutes after seven. Early morning…Yui left the living room and headed down the hall to the bathroom. An early shower such fix her senses.

Kazuya followed the woman from the rooftop of the house. Even though he could not see her, he could feel her every moment, mentally. He stepped as she stepped and paused as she did. He stopped abruptly when he saw one of his comrades. The short haired brunette hopped from the trees and vanished as he reached the ground. "Shinra…you've come. Ready to perform the task at hand?" Kazuya asked. The man joined him on the rooftop and stood beside him.

"Yes sir." He held up acupuncture needles before his slender face and smiled. "Ready and willingly. When we rid of those Konoha-nin it will be easy to destroy this household."

"Yes. But try not to have too much fun, understood? You tend to get carried away."

"Sir please don't say things like that. It's only very now and then. And only with handsome boys." The young man smirked. He appeared in his mid-twenties and had grey eyes that were clouded with desires, and lust. "Besides…"

"Don't try and change the subject. I know you've been watching that dark haired boy since he came." He was referring to Sasuke.

"Sir…" Shinra blushed. "He's not all that pretty…"

"So why is it you stalk him everyday?"

"I could ask the same of you who watches that blonde female!" The man defended. "You criticize me when you do the same! Hypocrite!"

"Stop talking." Kazuya growled. His eyes narrowed in fury and his voice became low. "Don't ever call me the same as the bastards from this village. This village filled with conspiracy, and corrupt merchants! This hell hole filled with fakers and liars! This devil's nest that criticized me and pushed me away! Don't you ever call me as they are!"

"…" Shinra paused and found he had no words for his leader.

"Do as told. Set the bait. I'll see you and a while." With that Kazuya vanished into the snow. Shinra jumped to the ground and he gazed into the window. Yui was showering. As she exited the stall and dried her hair and frowned. Females disgusted him. Them with their full breasts and curves. What did man see in them anyways. As far as he was concerned…they should see nothing.

He followed her as she exited and even as she went down the hall. When she had bumped inot Sasuke he stopped and watched excitedly. He was half dressed. "He must have just woken up. He even had bed head." He giggled referring to Sauske's twisted hair.

"You look tried." Yui said to the young Uchiha.

"Yeah..couldn't sleep."

"Sakura on the brain?" Yui asked smiling slightly.

"If it makes you smile why not?" He said and scratched the back of his head. "Whatever."

"You have feelings for her, don't you?"

"…You could say that…"

'**_A Female? Ugh…he just went down to number two on my potential lovers list. I'll just bump the blonde one to number one. He's cute and loud. That'll be a change for me.'_** Shinra thought as he slowly slid into his mouth a light poison needle. As Yui and Sasuke continued their conversation he spat the needle through he glass and it swiftly cut through…

"Sasuke…" Yui's eyes widened a bit. "You're bleeding?"

"What?" He looked at his bare arm which had a thin cut on it. Despite the fact it was thin the cut had length, right across his forearm. "Where'd that come from?" He looked out the window to see Shinra blowing a kiss and then running away. "Yui get Kakashi! We've found a lead."

"Okay, but…you should have Sakura check that out. The flesh around you wound is changing color." With that Yui ran down the hall to find Kakashi. Sasuke looked at his wound and winced slightly to the burning pain in his arm. It hurt like hell.

A/n: OMG! It s on now(Even though I find this chapter kinda lame)! Soon every hit g will be revealed. Just gimme about two chapters…the next chapter has some action! WOOT! ACTION! And some more drama! What will happen to Sasuke? And yes Shinra is queer an has a crush on him. DUH! But it is kild humor! And---

Sasuke: Shut up. You make a queer like me and you poison me I sense some hatred…

Magic: Okay. Like I care what you think. I mean…you're hot…but quite frankly...I'm not your biggest fan. Sorry.

Naruto: You guys look good together.

Magic: (glare)

Naruto: I mean...you look so horrid in each others...presence. It's…um…so bad it…it...HURTS MY EYES! YES! Separate immediately!

Kakashi: You guys are just…uh…

Sakura: Stupid. End chapter. Ugh!

Magic: BYE! LTER DAYZ!

(1)I believe (and many others) That this man is in fact Naruto's father. I mean how can it not be true! Yeah…so that what this is for.


	7. All That Is Unexpected

A/n: You know...there is actually a list of songs that would fit this fic. And the previous one. Yeah. When this fic is done with I'll give you a list of songs to listen to and you can read it over if you like. Yep. HAPPY NEW YEAR! As a Christmas gift and also a New Year's special I'll be posting two chapters in one week! Sweet huh? (But only if I get more than5 reviews for this chapter)Anyway….sorry for typos. I'm lazy.

**Sasuke: Well…that queer guy gets what's coming to him this chapter. Or is he? (looks to Magic) **

**Magic: Shut up. Cause you're all delusional and blah blah in this chapter. **

**Kakashi: Do you need a minute Sasuke? **

**Sasuke: No. (pouts)**

**Magic: (giggles) Just start up the chapter Naruto. **

**Naruto: Now the next few chapters get in depth.. Sakura and ui do alot of damagehere.Yeah. Women are a difficulty. **

**All: Agreed. **

**Magic: Where's Sakura when she's needed? **

_**All That Is Unexpected**_

'**_A Female? Ugh…he just went down to number two on my potential lovers list. I'll just bump the blonde one to number one. He's cute and loud. That'll be a change for me.'_** Shinra thought as he slowly slid into his mouth a light poison needle. As Yui and Sasuke continued their conversation he spat the needle through the glass and it swiftly cut through…

"Sasuke…" Yui's eyes widened a bit. "You're bleeding?"

"What?" He looked at his bare arm which had a thin cut on it. Despite the fact it was thin the cut had length, right across his forearm. "Where'd that come from?" He looked out the window to see Shinra blowing a kiss and then running away. "Yui get Kakashi! We've found a lead."

"Okay, but…you should have Sakura check that out. The flesh around your wound is changing color." With that Yui ran down the hall to find Kakashi. Sasuke looked at his wound and winced slightly to the burning pain in his arm. It hurt like hell.

* * *

Yui ran down the hall quickly. The sound of her feet against the wooden floor occurred to Yuri who was heading towards the bathroom that moment. He hummed a tune and looked up when his sister approached him. The younger blonde bumped into her older siblings and looked up at him. "Hey, slow down." He told her. 

"Tell mom that we found a lead!" She shook him violently. Yui pushed the man aside and continued to run down the hall. "The enemy is here! And tell Sakura to check out Sasuke. He's hurt!"

"Uh…okay…?"

"Yui…" Kakashi murmured into his pillow. Another dream of how he and Yui once were was in his sleep. The smile she gave him. Her laughter to his antics. Her abusive, yet caring personality. Everything of her. He missed her love so…

'_Kakashi you sick bastard!' She shouted to him as he said something perverted to her. Her screams and shouts soon turned to laughter and giggles. How he loved her so… 'Kakashi!' _

"Kakashi!" Yui knocked on his door violently. "Open up!"

"Huh?" He said half awake. His head shot up and looked as she slid the door of the room open. "What…?"

The woman stood in his door way as a calling to his manhood. Being she had just recently left the shower loose bathrobes slid from her shoulders. Her revealed chest rose and fell as she panted. "Kakashi," Yui's wet and dripping hair sat on her shoulders. Her silky thighs were shown to some extent and Kakashi stared with some perverted thoughts in mind. "Kakashi, the enemy is here."

"Huh…?" He blinked. His expression had one of a man lost in a blizzard.

"…KAKASHI YOU SICK BASTARD!" She shouted. The sliver haired man shook his head violently. "The enemy's is here! He attacked Sasuke! Pay attention!"

"What? Is he okay?" Kakashi placed his feet to the cool wooden floor. He began to dress and gather his things quickly and Yui watched him.

"Don't worry about that, the enemy is here now! We have to go after him!" Kakashi exited the room and walked towards the boys' room Yui followed. "Hey! Are you listening?"

"Sasuke is my first concern."

"He's fine. Now let's go!"

"I'll need Sasuke to give me description of the enemy."

"Let me come with you. This is all I want from you, nothing more!"

"No."

He continued to walk along and Yui grabbed his arm. The blonde looked into his dark eye with earnest. She squeezed him and instead of an angry or depressed gaze it was more of a plead of determination. "Let me come with you Kakashi. Please. I…I want achance to prove myself to my mother. I want an opportunity to show her that despite our break up…my time with you was not entirely in vain. You taught me things…I want to show what I'm capable of. Please…let me come with you. I won't get in your way!"

"…" The two continued down the hall and knocked on the room door. Naruto opened it, frowning. "Get ready."

"What? Why…?" The blonde shook his head and looked at the somewhat dressed Yui. "…nice." He mumbled.

"Huh? Oh!" Yui pulled up the robe and wrapped it around her more securely. "Now is not the time!"

"Okay…what's up?"

"Our enemy had revealed himself. Now get dressed. Find Sasuke and Sakura and them to meet in front of the house's entrance."

"Right."

"Yui…get ready." Kakashi said to her. Her eyes lit up with the same fire Naruto's would at times. "Meet at the entrance." With that Kakashi headed down the hall and Yui stood there with a weak smile.

"Thanks."

* * *

"Sasuke don't move." The pink haired girl sat next to the young Uchiha and treated his open cut. "How'd this happen?" Sakura wrapped bandages around the cut and seemed somewhat distant. "How…?" 

"Me."

"What?

"All our trouble and fuss…it's me."

"That's not what I meant…" Sasuke placed his head against Sakura's shoulder and sighed. His warm breath tickled her skin and she felt a slight shiver run up her spine. Sakura soon realized she was blushing. Her cheeks were as pink as her hair. "What I meant was…"

"Naruto must hate me because of all…but, despite our relationship…right now…I could care less." He pulled his arm from Sakura's hold and hugged the girl close. "What I find myself thinking about day in and out…you Sakura."

"Don't say things like that Sasuke. Just…"

"Shh…no more words." Sasuke pressed his lips against the skin of her neck.

"No more. Stop…it?" Sakura pulled away from Sasuke's touch a bit, leaving some space between them. She looked into the male's dark eyes and saw it was ---

Sasuke leant in closer. Their faces not far apart, their lips lightly brushing against each other's then…

Naruto watched the two through a small crack from the door being open. His heart beat insanely. He clenched his fist and felt his blood boil. How could they…? How could she after what they went through? How could he after everything that happened? How could they…? These people who were his entire world...they betrayed him. Love was a pain in his side…truth and trust in it self was a lie. '**_Has Yui felt this way all this time?' _**he held his breath…as to keep from screaming. Naruto stepped aside from the door and sat on the floor.

---He kissed her. The kiss she had always dreamt of having. A kiss she's desired since being twelve years of age…now, in the utmost unexpected way it occurred. And not because he intended for it to happen, but because he was delusional. What she had seen when she gazed into his eyes a few seconds before was…emptiness. Sakura had been kissing an empty minded Sasuke. Not one who wanted to. It was to her dissatisfaction.

When they parted he looked at her with confusion. Was he really confused? Or was that an affect of his wound? **_'Wait…such a small wound shouldn't make him act this way…unless…!' _**"Sasuke when you got the cut do you remember what happened?"

"Some guy…I don't know how he did it…but it could only be him. He was the only one outside that time. Some brunette. He was a bit tall and slender like. I can't think straight now…my head…" He placed his free hand on his forehead as his vision slowly blurred. I think….I think…"

"It's poison! How could I have not seen it?" Sakura quickly ripped off the bandages around the cut and ran to her medical pack. She searched through it trying to find the needed materials. "Did you just start feeling that way Sasuke?"

"No…I had a headache prior to this, but it wasn't this bad. It became worst as Yuri brought me to you."

"It's a type of poison. I didn't see it. Why?"

"Yui said the wound wad changing color."

"It...became black…that's right. Can't believe I was so oblivious to it. I was too…" **_'Caught up in having him do that to you?' _**Inner Sakura questioned. Sakura bit her tongue when it really occurred to her. Sure it was something she'd always wanted but…not at a time when Sasuke could probably not tell his left from his right. "Stay there Sasuke, I have to ---"

"Naruto was watching." He said.

"What?" Sakura's eyed winded. "He was?" Sakura ran out the room to see the blonde sitting on the floor. "Naru---"

"I'll tell Kakashi-sensei Sasuke's too hurt to come. You'll have to stay and take care of him. So you're not coming either. But its fine…so don't worry." He arose from the floor and began walking down the hall.

"Naruto… I….I'm sorry."

"I said don't worry." With that he left the pink haired female.

Sasuke sat on the bed holding his wound. His arm had lost its color and felt numb.

* * *

The blonde pulled her hair in a ponytail and gazed into her mirror. She'd prove herself. She'd show her mother that her time with Kakashi was not just for heartbreak. He had trained to the best of his ability. She learned. She improved. There was even a time when he was worried she'd beat him…even if it was only once, that was a lot coming from someone of his skill. Yui was ready. 

The memory of the conversation she had with Kakashi occurred. The time when she realized her mother expected nothing of her going there…even now, at times…her mother would belittle her…and she'd just go along with it.

"_I wanted to do so many things in life. I had different dreams, and hopes. She wanted me to be ready to care for the village when the time came. But I care more to find out who killed father." _

"_She disputed this?" _

"_As soon as I mentioned it to her." _

"_You wanted to leave it behind, didn't you?" _

"_Yes." _

"_A chance to do things your way." _

"_Yes." _

"_She disliked your goals and stopped teaching you." _

"…_yeah." She placed her chop sticks down. "She really wants me quit this." She closed her eyes and sighed. _

"_If so why'd she let you leave the village?" _

"…_she…she thinks I'm gonna fail." _

Now it was her time…her time to prove herself. Most definitely. She'd show her mother how strong she was. She'd show everyone. She show Kakashi the result of his training…although a heartbroken woman…a strong fighter. She would show them all. "I'm going to do this for you father. Just watch me. I promise I'll find your murderer…wait and see."

"You're very enthusiastic about this. Just don't mess up."

"I'm not going to."

"You know I don't want you to go out there. Suppose something happens…you'll mess up. I know you. You will."

"Mother…you have such little faith in me. Yet you want me to care for this village someday."

"Because that I know you're capable of." Kirara stepped into the room and stood to her daughter's side. "But pursuing an enemy we know nothing about is too risky. I demand you stay here with me."

"I'm not a child!"

"You are in my house! You'll do as I say!"

"No! I won't! I'll go and show you! I'll show you that just because Kakashi hurt me doesn't I didn't learn!" Yui's eyes flared with an anger that it hadn't for a number of months. "You think you know everything…let me tell you," Yui's eyes narrowed and her voice lowered "you're not as smart as you think you are." Kirara's eyes widened to her daughter's rebellious words. Then automatically she raised her hand to slap the girl and was shocked when Yui blocked against it. Out of total anger she raised her other hand and slapped Yui across the face.

"Don't be so quick to think **you** know everything either." Yui looked at the ground and blinked confused. That was unexpected. "Go ahead…go ahead and get yourself killed." Kirara stomped out the room, not even realizing the small blonde child standing in the doorway. Yume held close, her plush scarecrow and frowned.

"…You…you and mommy hate each other?" She asked. Yui turned her head to see the small child with a deep sadness in her eyes. Yume stepped closer to her sister and reached out for her hand. "Don't hate mommy…" She dropped her doll and wrapped her arms around the older woman's leg. She slid to the ground, her knees pressed against the cool wood on the floor. "Don't hate mommy…please…"

"…I don't…"

"Stop the hatred…please…stop…I….I beg you…Yui…" Yui felt small drops on her feet and realized Yume was crying. "No more…"

"Yume…" Yui picked up the crying girl and looked into her bright eyes. "I don't hate mom. I'm actually…I'm about to go out there right now to prove to her my capabilities. I'll never hate mommy…or any of you." She placed Yume to the ground and whispered into her ear. "You guys are all I have." Yume blinked and wiped the tears from her eyes, with the sleeve of her nightgown.

"Okay…"

"Well…I should get going now."

"…yeah…but Yui…"

"Yes Yume?" She picked up her pouch and securely placed it over her rear.

"You have Hatake-san too."

"…no... Kakashi means nothing now."

"…okay…then…"

'**_And he'll mean nothing to me ever again…I don't need it. Don't need him. He's given me my chance…that's all I wanted and I got it. _**She exited the room and walked towards the entrance of the home. With her eyes hazed as a display of her deep thought those she passed looked at her with worry. **_'I don't need him…I don't love him…' _**

Kazuya sat in a tree and watched as the woman he loved walk through the long halls of the house. With every move she made he followed. Every last bit of gloom she presented, he vowed mentally to make up. He'd help her get over the source of her problems, even if it meant --- **_'Hatake Kakashi…you. I will release Yui from this hell and if you become an obstruction I will demolish you.' _**With that in mind Kazuya vanished into the snow as a light blizzard began.

* * *

Naruto approached Kakashi with a darken look upon his face. The blonde seemed faded into his own thought and Kakashi recognized the look from the evening prior. "You're alright?" He asked the young blonde teen. 

"Huh? Yeah. Um…Sakura is not coming. She'll need to take care of…she'll be taking care of Sasuke." Naruto told the silver haired male. The sadness and upset were deep in his blue eyes and appeared almost as if he was fighting tears. Kakashi sighed and ruffled the hair of the boy.

"Okay. You're sure about coming with me?"

"Yes. I can't stay here now. I just can't."

"They say the white of snow covers everything. It holds the best secrets, tells the best lies and even buries pain. All of this because of its pure white color. White is not expected to do such…hurt, hide, lie. Yet it does, because it can. I'm sure the blizzard out there can help you with your problem, if you go be in it for a little while." Yuri walked towards the two and smiled. "Ready to give your life for my family?" He asked.

"That's what your mother pays me for, isn't it?" Kakashi responded.

"Yeah. You're right. Stupid question I guess. I'm just here to tell you while you're out there, to be careful. Yui…you know she's a bit of a handful. I want you to watch her. When I say she's a handful I mean it. Be as careful as you can with her. Because if you get her hurt—" Yuri grabbed the jounin's shoulder and glared at him with a burning fire in his eyes "I'll make you regret it." He then smiled. "That and my mom will kill you. Hahaha. Ahh…that was a good laugh. You should have seen your face." He removed his hold and touched Naruto's shoulder. "Good luck."

"Sure." Kakashi raised and eye brow as he looked at Yuri's hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'll take care of her."

"Great. Let's hope you don't fuck up like you did in Konoha. Okay?" Naruto slapped the hand of the older man away and glared back at him.

"Watch your mouth. You disgust me." With that Naruto dressed himself in his winter gear and headed outside.

Kakashi saw Yui walk down the hall and sighed deeply. He looked at Yuri and then back to Yui. "Ready?" He asked her.

"Yes." She responded. She frowned when she saw her brother who simply smiled. "..I hate you." She mumbled.

"What? I've done nothing…yet." He blinked innocently.

"Then why are you here?"

"I can't see you off on probably the only mission you'll ever get to really go on?"

"SHUT UP!" She screamed. Kakashi grabbed her hand and looked at her. Yui glared at him and the haze in her eyes was gone. It would have never appeared she was saddened earlier.

"Angry is not the way to start this mission. Relax." He released her. "Take a deep breath."

Yui turned her back to the man and glared to her brother. ""Yuri you…fuck off."

"Ohh…so much animosity. I'm going about my business then. I can't stand a room with no love in it." Yuri turned away and headed down the corridor. Yui and Kakashi stood in momentary silence.

"Kakashi."

"Yes?"

"From this point on don't speak to me unless you have to. And…don't touch me." She dressed in her winter gear and stepped outside. Kakashi frowned underneath his mask and sighed.

'**_She still hates me…and I thought we made progress last night.' _**He put on his things and exited out the door…

And Kazuya watched.

* * *

A/n: Later. 

**Sasuke: ...I was really...OOC.**

**Magic: Well…it makes things interesting when you're like that. Moreover why does everyone try so hard to keep you guys perfectly in character when its a fiction of the show? Just asking. **

**Kakashi:You do that sometimes too. **

**Magic: Shut up. HAPPY NEW YEAR! **


	8. Chased, Kidnapped

A/n: The next chapters are critical. My notes will be short. Um…my updates will not occur any time before February because I have the SAT and finals to study for. Enjoy the climaxing chapters of** _Unknown Romance_. **

_**Chased-Kidnapped **_

Shinra sat in a tree filing his fingernails. The man was vain. He loved his image almost as much as he loved men. Almost. Okay…he did love his image more but why not. He thought he was quite the looker. Which he was. In his mind, at least. "Why are these people talking so long? Dear God I might die of old age waiting here."

Yachi appeared before the young man and cleared his throat loudly. "Boy." He called.

"Yeah?" He answered annoyed.

"Respond to me with respect!" Yachi slapped the male over his head and frowned. "You insolent fool!"

"Yachi-sama you always you're always frustrated with me. You should be nicer." He pouted cutely to the older man who glared.

"Listen child; do not play games with me! The Konoha shinobi are coming. They have Kazuya's girl."

"Oh? Well then I can start playing? Great! This will be awesome. How many?"

"It's the Yoshimitsu girl and two of them."

"Three? That's all? So lame. Oh well. I can have fun with only them." Shinra pulled from behind his back ten poison needles. Five in each hand. He threw the ten needles into different directions, making sure each hit a tree and stuck ground inside the bark. "First thing is to confuse your prey. It's so much more amusing that way."

"Just make sure you don't kill the girl." Yachi vanished as a winter air blew. Shinra would obey his orders...to some extent. He'd leave Yui alive but that didn't mean he couldn't play games with her before doing as told. He'd have as much fun as he wanted.

* * *

As the threesome ran through the cold terrain Kakashi's eye searched diligently for anything out of place, or anyone. He looked back occasionally to check his two comrades. "You see anything in particular?" He asked Naruto.

"No. I can't sense any other chakra either. Nothing is really strange."

"Keep looking." Yui told him. "I know someone is here. That attack on Sasuke could have not come from nowhere."

"Yui's right Naruto. Keep your eyes… open?" Kakashi halted when he noticed the oddest thing about the woods. "There's an awkward smell here. It's faint but there…like…salt?"

"Salt? There is the sea some miles from the village. Still, how can you smell that in this weather?" Yui pointed in the direction which the body of water was.

"Yeah. My nose is cold. I can't smell a thing." Naruto told them.

"No, its here. And look at the trees."

"Huh?" The two blondes said in unison.

"Every other has a needle in it."

"Needles?" Yui looked and noticed what Kakashi said to be true. "Yes. They're everywhere. But why?"

"Our enemy is one who specializes in use of this weapon. Also if you look, it's like he threw the needles in a pattern…He's trying to confuse us. Stay together---"

"Someone's there!" Yui shouted. She looked further up ahead and saw a motioning figure. She ran after the dark figure which began to run.

"No Yui!" Naruto ran after the blonde with means to stop her. Kakashi's eye widened as he called out to the two.

"Come back you two!" He called. He began to chase after them when he realized he wasn't going anywhere. "Genjutsu." He whispered. "That's a shadow clone those two are after isn't it?" He said aloud.

"Yeah. You're smarter than you look. Well…I can't really see how you look because you're wearing a mask…but I'm sure you look sexy. You sound sexy." Shinra appeared from behind one of the many trees, and then many Shinra appeared. Kakashi looked around quickly trying to see each and every clone as it appeared.

In the blink of an eye, the clones doubled and soon tripled. Kakashi found he was surrounded and sighed. He raised his forehead protector to reveal his sharingan. His eyes quickly scanned the area and he hoped Yui and Naruto be alright. "I'll try and make this quick."

* * *

"Naruto I see him up ahead! He's…" As the shadowed image faded from view Yui stopped and the blonde behind her ceased as well. "Gone…the figure is gone."

"I was trying to tell you it was shadow clone." He said to her. "But you run fast."

"I already messed up. Shit." Her face became red with anger as she pounded a fist into a nearby tree. "I've already screwed up!"

"its fine Yui, we all make mistakes."

"But I can't afford to make any now. Look, I even got us separated from Kakashi. I'm such a…"

"Shh." He placed a hand over her mouth and his eyes darted around. "Some else is here." He whispered to her. Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai. "It sounds like one…or maybe two others." He moved his hand from over her mouth and smiled slightly. "Sorry about that."

"That's okay. But…look…" She pointed to the trees and again appeared many needles. This time, in one of the tree the needles had been thrown to form the image of a heart.

"What?"

"I love you." Sang Shinra as he touched Naruto's shoulder. He whispered into the blonde boy's ear. "I mean you're too cute to leave alone." Naruto used the kunai which he held and sent into the older man's chest. The clone vanished and Shinra's voice echoed throughout the area. "I love you, I love you, I love you." (A/n: You know Natasha Beddingfield right? I think that's how you spell it…Yeah…I just had to mention her.)

"Who is that weirdo?" Naruto asked he and Yui leant back to back.

"You ask me like I know."

"Isn't he singing to you?"

"He whispered in **your** ear."

"…right."

The two looked around, eyes darting about the place to find the man who disturbed Naruto so. For a moment it grew silent and the only sound that could be heard was the howl of the winter wind. Another Shinra jumped before them and Naruto threw another kunai into it. This time when it vanished an explosion note was left.

"It's an explosion tag, go!" Yui shouted and fled with the younger blonde. The two moved away from it and hid behind a nearby rock. They took cover and waited for what felt like hours. The silence was the only thing at that time. "Well…do you hear anything?"

"No."

"I'll go check."

"No. I will." Naruto looked over the large rock they hid behind and saw another note. This time it wasn't an explosion tag, but a--- "It's a letter?"

"A letter? What? Well…what's on it?"

"It says _'Blondes have all the fun, because they're too stupid to know that it's dangerous…'_? What? WHAT?" He shouted in anger.

"You think blondes are dumb huh?" Yui shouted and stood to Naruto's side. "I'll show you!" She pulled out shuriken and scanned the area.

"Go ahead…" Shinra's voice once again returned and echoed loudly. "Let me see how smart you blondes can be…"

"Yui…there's more…" Naruto said to her.

"What does it say?"

"_P.S. look up_?"

"What?" With that said a rain of needles fell from the sky…

"Yui move!" And ---

…

…

…

"NARUTO!" She screamed.

* * *

Kakashi's eyes looked at each and every clone of Shinra trying to find the actual one. **_'I don't have time for this; I've got to find Naruto and Yui.' _**After a few moments each Shinra clone raised a number of needles and one after another began to throw each and every last needle at Kakashi. He dodged almost every attack but was soon caught off guard when two Shinra ran circles around him, tying him up by the legs with thin wire. "No!" He shouted as he fell to the ground.

"Too bad you have to go." The clones said in unison. "But, I'm afraid I only like younger men." Shinra himself emerged from the crowd and stabbed the jounin in his chest. Kakashi screamed loudly and vanished with an explosion note left where the clone was. "Shit!" The brunette jumped back, fleeing from the explosion tag. "I'm okay for now…" Shinra breathed heavily and looked around the terrain. For a moment, dead silence. Soon he heard something strange. "Birds? Many of them in this cold?" He turned his head to see Kakashi charging with a formed Chidori. "WHAT!"

The jounin charged towards the younger man with a full on attack. "Raikiri!"

"No!" He screamed. Then, many Shinra clones jumped before Kakashi's attack allowing the real one to flee. "Hey you'd be a ton sexier if you didn't try to kill me." With those being his final words Shinra was gone.

"NARUTO!" Kakashi heard Yui scream as he canceled his jutsu. He looked around and tried to follow where the voice came from. He began running through the snow at incredible speed. His adrenaline pumped and heart beating crazily.

'_**Be okay you two...Naruto…Yui…' **_

* * *

****

"Hey, hey Naruto…" Yui cried. Some tears welled up in her eyes as she shook the boy who lay in her lap unmoving. "Come on…be okay." She cried. In the boy's arms and back were several poison needles. His face, which once had a red color because of the weather, had become pale. "Hey…"

"Yui!" Kakashi ran up to the two blondes and knelt down by Yui's side. "What happened?"

"I don't know, but he protected me. The needles fell from above and he pushed me…he saved me."

"Naruto do you hear me?" Kakashi pulled the many needles from his former student's shoulder and checked him for pulse. "He's alive, but his pulse is faint. We need to get him to Sakura." He threw the blonde over his shoulder and stood up.

"Kakashi I---"

The silver haired male began heading back towards the Yoshimitsu estate, ignoring Yui's call to him. **_'She was careless and now Naruto's hurt…' _**

* * *

****

Sasuke slept peacefully in Sakura's room. Further down the hall the pink haired female was taking a shower. With the hot water beating against her back she sighed. **_'I hope Naruto and everyone...I hope they're fine.' _**She closed her eyes as she remembered Naruto's hurt look. **_'I hope…I don't want him to hate me…I really do still care for him so much.' _**

"Haruno-san!" One of the maids called. "Haruno-san!" She shouted from outside the bathroom.

"Huh?" Sakura looked up and heard the voice call again. She turned off the water and quickly grabbed her robe as she exited the stall. Wrapping it around her tightly and slipping on her bed slippers she quickly opened the bathroom door hitting Yuri in his head. "Sorry!" She exclaimed.

"It's…fi….fi...fine…Hatake-saann ne---needs your ssitance…" He mumbled. He blinked a few times and his eyes rolled in his head.

"What?"

"Hatake-san needs your help, Naruto-kun is hurt!" Yume said running down the hall.

"Oh my God!" Sakura ran towards the entrance of the home to see her freezing team captain, Yui, and her possibly dying friend. "Naruto!"

* * *

Evening approached and soon Sasuke awoke. Sakura worked relentlessly to heal Naruto, who quickly recovered because of the Kyuubi. By nightfall the house became dead with utter silence. Everything was too tense even for words. Dinner was eaten in each person's room rather than around the table. Yui did not eat. Nor did anyone else. As the maids returned for the dishes they saw full plates and were amazed…well except for Yuri. His plate was as clean as a hungry dog's bowl.

Yui took a shower. Her thoughts ran wild as the hot water created steam and filled the bathroom. Everything that happened today was her fault. Because of her…her carelessness. Her mother said she would mess up and she did. She messed up badly. At this point there was nothing to prove. Not to her family…not to Kakashi…not even to herself. **_'I'm a joke.' _**

While dressed in a white bath robe, Yui walked down the hall after she exited the bathroom. The steam from the shower escaped through the door which had been left ajar, and slowly faded away. She dried her hair and in her eyes was a dead and sad mystic color. It seemed almost as if the firefly glow it had at times had died. Yui sighed as she looked down at the floor. The wet prints her feet left on the hard wooden floor were slowly evaporating. It had been as if the most insignificant things were going. Just like her pain should have been, but did not seem to.

"Yui." Kakashi called. She looked up to see the man dressed in evening wear walking towards her. He wasn't wearing his forehead protector and had his mask pulled down. His handsome face was revealed to her once more. Soon, he stood a few feet before her. Yui's heart jumped all little to the sight. "I'd like to speak with you about today." He said to her.

"I don't care to speak to **you** about it." She said to him with a glare.

"It does not matter whether you care to discuss this or not." The silver haired jounin stepped closer to the blonde. "The fact is that you need to understand I have a job to do. Your careless acts today placed my comrade in danger.

"I don't care to speak to you."

"But you will listen."

"I don't have to listen to anything!"

"As my client you need to understand having you interfere endangers the mission. I allowed you to come with us today and you disobeyed me placing my life in danger, my comrade, and **you**! How can I protect you when you act like that?"

"I never asked for your protection! I never wanted you here! I can't even stand the sight of you!" She marched past him and he grabbed her wrist.

"You're being spoiled. This is the same behavior that almost got Naruto killed today."

"Really now?" She snapped back. "Isn't that the same cocky and spoiled behavior that got your friend Obito killed?"

Kakashi released Yui and glared at her. His blood boiled and for that single moment he lost it, and forgot everything. He slammed her back against the wall and placed his fist against her neck. "How dare you?" He growled. Kakashi's eyes flared with anger, and in his sharingan she could feel burning hate. "Watch your mouth."

Yui's green eyes widened in fear. She felt shivers up her spine and her bottom lip quivered. "Get away." She said in a whisper. "I'll…I…I'll scream." This was the first she feared him. This was the first he was hostile with her.

"Go ahead." He said to her lowly. His breath was warm. The feeling that would, at one time, tickle Yui now caused her to tremble in fear. The blonde shivered so much her robe slowly slipped down her shoulders, revealing some of her bare chest.

"Ge---get away…" she repeated. "Leave me alone!" She screamed. Yui closed her eyes and raised her hand to Kakashi's face. The jounin's head turned to the impact of the female's powerful slap. An awkward silence accompanied the fading sound of Kakashi's face being smacked. Kakashi stepped away from the blonde and remained silent.

Yui straightened the robe upon her body and recovered her exposed self. She looked to the man she just hit and soon her mouth opened in utter astonishment. Her recent action was a total surprise to her. Moreover, the fact she was able to hit him was an even bigger surprise. She brought her hands over her mouth and covered it. Kakashi looked at Yui. He blinked his eyes to her. For the first time since their breakup she saw how hurt and depressed he really was.

"Kakashi…I…I didn't mean…" She began. He turned his back to her and headed down the hall. Yui stood there for a moment. With her back still to the wall she slid to the floor. She brought her knees to her chest, closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Before she knew it hot tears formed and slid down her cheeks. "I…I'm such a fool...I'm so sorry Kakashi."

* * *

Kazuya breathed hard against the window. He smiled as he saw Kakashi walk down the hall. Yachi reappeared behind the dark haired man. "Everyone is ready and in place."

"Great. Now make sure no one messes up like Shinra has."

"Right. You're taking the woman?"

"Yes. I am. After this attack do nothing until I've ordered for you to do so."

"Fine then."

"And make sure to leave no traces."

"Understood." Yachi vanished and Kazuya placed the katana against the window's frame. With untraceable speed he ran scratching the glass which was the window.

* * *

The healed up Naruto stood in the kitchen drinking warm milk. **_'Sakura was really worried about me. I haven't seen her cry in a while.' _**As the liquid slid down his throat he felt an awkward feeling on the back of his neck. Warm…like his milk. Warm…blood. As he dropped the glass and touched the area in which his blood was dripping from the large window frame of the kitchen shattered.

The young chuunin took shelter under a near by a counter and covered his ears to the breaking sound.

Yui's eyes widened as she saw Kazuya's cloak flaring in the cold winter wind, and the shattering glass was behind him. "Come now. You can't say you didn't miss me." He grabbed the blonde woman and jumped through the now broken window. Then without any trace they were gone.

As Kakashi sat in his room holding his cheek while many thoughts played in his head. Images of Yui and her smiles shattered like glass. Everything faded and soon faded images of Obito appeared and reappeared. The images of today's events occurred. The sight of seeing Sakura fighting tears, and Sasuke with worry in his eyes to Naruto's health. It was like a broken recorder.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screamed as she ran down the hall. "Anyone!" Kakashi pulled up his mask and stepped into the hall.

"Sakura what's wrong?"

"Did you hear that!"

"It's in the kitchen!" Said Sasuke as he ran up to the two. The three ran down the hall to the kitchen which was now covered in glass. Naruto arose from under the counter and stumbled a bit. "Naruto!"

Sakura ran towards the blonde not caring for what she stepped on. "Are you okay?" She asked. On the blonde's cheek were open cuts and fresh blood. His arms were covered in scratches. Sakura touched the boy's face. "I told you to get some rest…if you hadn't gotten up…I'll clean you up."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know. I didn't sense anything. Nothing was strange."

Kakashi thought back to earlier that day. "_No. I can't sense any other chakra either. Nothing is really strange." _Again nothing could be sensed, yet something occurred.

"Hatake!" Kirara ran down the hall and breathed heavily as she entered the kitchen.

"Yoshimitsu-san—" Sakura began.

"Where is Yui?" She asked. In her voice wasn't anger, but honest concern. "My house is covered in glass and my daughter is gone…"

"What!" Naruto shouted.

"Yui!" Kakashi ran down the halls to her room and slid the door open. "Yui!" He then ran to where he had last seen the woman only to find shattered glass and her not there. "YUI!"

**A/N: See you next Chapter **


	9. Almost but Not Quite

A/N: Greetings. My notes are short...anyways…I just ask for reviews and stuff. I don't think I'll feel to update if I don't get more than 5-10 reviews. (I really would LOVE more than 10 reviews…then I can guarantee an update before the end of the month) Um...yeah. This is a very critical chapter. A little long too. Get comfy. Whatever typos I have forgive me. I'm nearsighted, okay? Later Days.

_**The Hidden Truth-(Almost but Not Quite) **_

"_Father!" She cried as she ran through the woods. She came upon a river and looked down to see small fish. She watched two of the many fish swim around in circles as if playing with each other. She looked further up the river and saw Yoshimitsu Kyoshi. "Daddy!" She said and ran towards the man. Kyoshi sat at by the river with his Yui and a young Kazuya Yuki near. _

"_Hey there." He smiled to his daughter. Yui breathed heavily form running so quickly. Her face was red, and her heart beat had quickened. "You look tuckered out." Yui sat beside the man and rubbed her ankles. _

"_I was looking for you guys." She said._

"_Well look no further. Here we are." He said. Kyoshi held the fishing pole stiff and straight, but never took his gaze from his daughter. _

"_Yeah." _

_Kazuya looked at Yui. He sat beside a sleeping Yuri with an empty bucket to his side. Yui turned her head to catch the boy's gaze. He blushed slightly and turned away from her look. The blonde girl walked over to him and smiled. "Hi...Yui…" _

"_Hey there Yuki, did you catch some fish?" _

"_Not really…" He said timidly. _

"_Oh...want me teach you how?"_

"_Your dad tried and it didn't work…I'm not good at it."_

"_Come on! I'll show you. It's easy." She grabbed the bucket and then the young boy's hand and drew him to her father's side. "Watch and learn." _

"_Okay…" He watched the young girl as she put together his fishing gear and began to fish like a professional. Her father and her, side by side, seemed like a perfect image of family. The two had the same moments and facial expression as they fished. "Hey! You got one!" Yuki cheered. _

"_Almost, but not quite!" Yui said and with a great pull she pulled out a large fish. "WOW!" _

"_Whoa…" _

"_Great job Yui!" Kyoshi dropped his line as to go help his daughter catch the large fish. After they caught the large fish the group sat down together and grilled it over a fire. Yuki looked further up the river and saw the body of water eventually widened. He asked if a beach was there. "Yeah." The man answered._

"_Hey…Kyoshi-sempai when we're done...can we go to the beach?" _

"_Sure. We'll all go. You see the river flows and eventually goes out and becomes the sea. Marine life everywhere. It's fun. I'll take you guys when Yuri wakes up." _

"_We should leave him here…loser." Yui said as she was about to take a bite of her fish. The three laughed and Yuri did wake, just in time to steal from his younger sibling. _

"_I'm a loser. You wish." He said and ate it whole. _

"_YURI!" She screamed. Kyoshi and Yuki laughed…and laughed…and laughed…_

_With a light scent of salt water in the air. _

"Where am I?" Yui asked. The blonde opened her eyes and saw she was laying on the cold, frozen ice of the same river in her memories. "What…is this…where am…I?" She looked up and saw before her a tall image of a man in dark clothing, with midnight blue eyes. His long hair blew in the winter wind and he smiled.

"I hope its not too cold Yui."

"…" Her eyes widened in fear. "Yu…Yuki…" She whispered.

"It's been a long time. I've missed you so."

* * *

Kakashi packed his things and summoned Pakkun. In his head many thoughts of Yui appeared. "This is because of me." He thought. He looked down to the old dog that appeared from a small poof of smoke and raised his paw for a greeting.

"Hello." Said Pakkun to his master. The dog titled his head and saw the worry in Kakashi's eye. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Yui's gone. I need you to go around the house. See if you find anything at all." He told the old dog.

"Right." The dog scampered out of his room down the corridor.

Kirara entered the room as Kakashi zipped up his jounin vest. He turned to face her and saw the red in the woman's eyes; dried tears on her cheeks served as evidence to show she had been crying. "Hatake-san you're going after my daughter, aren't you?" She asked. Her voice slightly trembled as she looked to him. She slowly touched his shoulder and he could feel her hand shaking. "Aren't you?"

"That is why you pay, isn't?" He looked at her hand and smiled weakly beneath his mask. "I'll find Yui and bring her back safely. Yoshimitsu-sama, even if it kills me. I swear it." Kakashi took her shaky hand off his shoulder and held it. "I promise." Kirara's eyes widened as she finally realized it. Despite how she dislike him, and wished better for her daughter Yoshimitsu Kirara saw for the first, that he loved her child.

She slowly drew her hand from his own and crossed her arms. As tears welled in her blue eyes she turned her back to him. "You better." She said semi-confidently. As she exited the room she sighed. It was possible she was wrong about him. Despite that fact, she would never forgive him. His wrong against her daughter was simply "Unforgivable."

* * *

'**Yuki…?' **She looked at the man before her, confused and **DOUBTFUL**. Her mouth was dry, not form cold but from astonishment. Her throat itched and burned and everything that was real to her dissolved. What was going on? "You're alive?" She asked flabbergasted.

"Alive and well."

"…and…me? Why haven't I frozen to death?"

"A body-warming technique. Something I learned in a scroll I stole from Mizukage. Impressed?" He smiled to her. Yui frowned and sat up. He kneeled as to be eye level with the female then grabbed her arms as to pull her closer. He looked into her frightened green eyes and cupped her chin. "They're still as green as the sea water."

"Where…where have you been all these years?" She cried. Tears welled up into her eyes as she thought about it. "You left and never came back…and...I waited…and waited…so many things happened those days after you left. The village was attacked…and daddy…Yuki after you left someone killed my father."

"I know..." He whispered. He moved his touch from the woman and pulled away from her.

"You know? How…I mean…guess you must have heard---"

"I did it." Yui's eyes widened as she heard the words travel to her ears. Everything being said to her was a painful lie that just couldn't be true. Her heart beat madly with the utter most fear in her body. A painful fear which made her tremble. A painful fear which made her pale.

"What?" She asked as her teeth began to chatter.

"I killed Yoshimitsu Kyoshi. I murdered your father." He looked at her with a glint in his eyes. Of what, she couldn't identify.

* * *

"I hope he finds her." Kirara sat before the large image of her deceased husband. Her hands trembled. "Kyoshi please watch our daughter. Protect her with your grace…please…"

Sakura stood at the end of the hall watching the woman. Sasuke touched her shoulder and she looked at the floor. Her feet were wrapped in bandages. A result from the glass she stepped on. It only occurred to her that such happened when Naruto pointed out the bloody footprints as she rushed him to her room. She cleaned up his wounds only to find that she had a few of her own on the bottom of her feet. Sasuke immediately threw the pink haired girl in her bed and cleaned up her injuries.

_The three ran down the hall to the kitchen which was now covered in glass. Naruto arose from under the counter and stumbled a bit. "Naruto!" _

_Sakura ran towards the blonde not caring for what she stepped on. "Are you okay?" She asked. On the blonde's cheek were open cuts and fresh blood. His arms were covered in scratches. Sakura touched the boy's face. "I told you to get some rest…if you hadn't gotten up…I'll clean you up." _

"Kakashi will come back." Sasuke told her.

"I hope…"

"Since when was your faith in him so faint?"

"I don't know…I just…I haven't been this anxious feeling since…"

"Since…?"

"Since we were on the mission to get you back."

"…" Sasuke hugged the pink haired female around her waist. She placed her hands upon his own and enjoyed his warm feel. He whispered into her ear. "I'm here now…" he said. "I came back. And Kakashi will too."

"…I hope."

Naruto stood to the corner further down the hall. He frowned as he heard the two and when he thought about it…he had no choice. All he felt was void and he could find no other option. **_'That's best…she…she only wants Sasuke…now she has him.' _**Naruto walked away from the scene as quickly as possible then soon began to run. He was quick to catch Kakashi right before he was to leave. "Kakashi-sensei let me come with you." Naruto asked. "I want to help find Yui-chan too."

"No." Kakashi walked past the boy towards the house's entrance and gathered his leftover materials. "This is my responsibility."

"It's a team mission; it is a blame that falls on all of us. Let me help!"

"No. You're still recovering from earlier today. Moreover this is **my **responsibility. Not yours or anyone else's. Understand?" As he pulled on his shoes he looked to boy. "Furthermore if there is an attack here you'll be available."

"But sensei ---"

""That is enough Naruto." He touched the boy's shoulder and looked into the blonde's eyes. "I **have** to go alone." Naruto frowned and stared to the wall. He didn't want to leave just to help; he waned to get away from Sasuke and Sakura.

"Fine. I'll stay." He muttered.

"Good."

Pakkun ran up to Kakashi with the same monotone look he always carried. He told Kakashi what he information he came across. "I could find nothing in particular but there is a lingering scent of salt water where there was broken glass. It is very faint but I can still smell it. I think I can find a lead."

"Yui said the sea is near the village. A bit off from the woods, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah." Yuri approached the three and frowned. "Its north of the village. There's also a river some ways before that which flows out into the sea. Find her. Find my sister."

"I will. Pakkun, let's go." The old dog ran out the now opened door before Kakashi, who smiled to Naruto beneath his mask. With that he headed out the door after the summoned animal.

As Yuri closed the door to keep the cold out Naruto turned his back to him. "You're…nice now?When were you---"

"_Nice_? Well…I maybe a total jerk at times but my family is first. Just like your teammates for you. That's just how it is."

"You're right."

"You just know after a while that how you feel doesn't matter anymore. It's just their safety and their happiness."

The words echoed in Naruto's head and his froze momentarily. **_'Their happiness…' _**He watched the older blonde walk down the hall and whispered to himself. "Their happiness…hers…"

* * *

"You killed my father? You? Yuki…YOU!" Yui shouted and stood up. "HOW COULD YOU!" Hot tears slid down her cheeks. "I loved you, and you killed my father?" A rage burned in her chest, one that made her heart burn.

"I loved you as well. That is why I killed him. Kazuya said this with honesty in his yes. It made her worry that he looked so content about his words.

"How can you say this? You dare say that—that you loved me, and you killed my father. The man who I loved so. You killed him?" Her voice trembled. "You…" She grabbed the man by his sleeve and looked hatefully into his blue eyes. "You…you BASTARD!" She punched the man and he stepped back a bit. Kazuya looked up to the woman he loved burning with fury. He wiped the blood from his lip and frowned.

"I thought you'd understand. I killed Kyoshi because he was an obstruction. Her tried to prevent our love!" He grabbed the woman and stared into her eyes. "He told me to stop seeing you."

"…Never…Father would never…He cared for us both….he…he knew we were in love." She shook her head not wanting to hear anymore words. She hoped her oncoming tears would vanish. She wished her nightmare would end. "Everyone…everyone was so cruel to you and daddy defended you." He…he protected you."

"_It's that boy." The older woman of the village whispered. "The one Yoshimitsu is keeping at his home." Kazuya held his head low as he and Kyoshi walked. _

"_I know. Kyoshi-san is too kind to take in such a wayward child and raise him. _

"_Yes. Kind and crazy. That boy is no good. He's just---" _

"_An excellent young man," Kyoshi approached the two and frowned. "For you to speak about him so is very impolite on your part ladies. I expect better from the sisters of the ever so famous Monk Govinda." The two women looked away and Kyoshi smiled warmly. "Bedside's its jut wrong to think of children in such a way." _

* * *

With his adrenaline pumping and his mind in a crazed state Kakashi followed Pakkun as fast as he could. Everything valued most at that moment was on the line. If Yui was killed the mission would be failed. Moreover he'd lose the only woman he ever loved. **_'No.' _**He wouldn't lose her as he lost Obito, he wouldn't lose her as he did anyone he cared for. Not again. "This is my responsibility."

"Kakashi don't feel regret." The old dog told him as they went through the snow.

"I'm not."

"Guilt will change nothing, or help. Remember that."

"…I have always these years…" His hair blew in the wind wildly and in his head thoughts of her was all on his mind. **_'Wait for me Yui…wait.' _**

* * *

****

"He soon saw me as they did too, Yui."

_As evening approached Kyoshi sat at his desk with Yuki sitting before him. He looked own to the smooth wood that made the furniture and then to the young man now standing in front of him. "Yuki, I'd like to…I'd see it better for you both if you saw Yui less." He told the teen. _

"_Why! I love her!" He slammed his fist into the desk causing the papers and other items to fall off. He leaned closer to Kyoshi's face. "I want her to be my bride someday...please don't…" _

"_Since recently your behavior has become rather…shady...I'd prefer if you do what I asked. Please this is hard as it is." Kyoshi leaned away from the boy's face and stood up from his chair. "I'm not trying to hurt you. It's better for you. That's all." _

"_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! You sound just like them. I hate you!" Kazuya ran from the man he once respected it was official from there on. _

_He ran out the Yoshimitsu estate. He walked through the village streets receiving glares. He walked until he came upon an abandoned temple. As he headed up the stairs of the temple he checked as to make sure no one watched him. He pushed open the doors and entered to see a cloaked man sitting with many shrouded men before him. He walked past the men and bowed before the man. _

"_Teach me, please." He asked a younger version of Yachi. The older man touched the boy's shoulder. As smiled sinisterly to him and a glint was in his eyes. _

"_I knew you'd ask." His eyes glowed with excitement. He had much planned for the boy. "As long as you do some things for me in return." _

"_YES!" The teen pledged his obedience to the man. _

_XXX_

_Kyoshi smiled weakly to as blood trickled down his chin. He held Yuki's hands and slowly pulled the sword from his chest. Kazuya looked amazed as the dying man forced out the weapon lodged in his chest, with his grip still powerful. _

"_DIE!" Yuki shouted. _

"_..you know…I saw you as my son…I loved you as my own." _

"_You tried to keep me from her…" _

"_I wanted to…protect you both…" Kyoshi fell against his shoulder and mumbled "to…protect you all…Tell…my family…I'm sorry that I cannot make it home…And I wanted them to wait for me…Yuki…my son." The teen's eyes widened and as Kyoshi fell to the snow covered ground. He stepped back and then after an awkward silence…he ran. Warm tears welled in his eyes and he gritted his teeth. 'He kept her from me…he had to go. He kept Yui from me.' _

Kakashi had arrived to the scene a hid behind a tree. He pulled a kunai from his pouch as Pakkun vanished. His was listening to every word Kazuya told Yui. He held his breath counting in the back of his, soon after and revealed himself to the two. His eye watched Yui as she cried on Kazuya's chest. "…It sounds rather childish to kill a man because he didn't let you have what you wanted." He slowly and cautiously approached the two. "Leave Yui alone."

"He had to go…he kept me from my love…and **you**. You have to go as well." Kazuya pushed Yui away and she fell back to the cold ice. Shock in her face, her skin pale, and her eyes wide, she was frozen in horror. "Yui is mine, and I will have no one stand in my way. I've waited too long…" He stepped away from Yui and took a certain stance. "Even if it means going through you…I will. YUI IS MINE!" Kazuya charged towards the silver haired male and vanished by his third or fourth step. Kakashi looked around and saw nothing but the Yui before him...and then he felt a sharp object pointed to the back of his head. Kazuya had his katana merely centimeters from the back of Kakashi's skull.

"Impressive speed. I didn't even sense your presence."

"I'm nearly undetectable."

"Nearly…" Kakashi stabbed the clone in his chest with the kunai that he held in his hand. The Kazuya clone vanished and Kakashi revealed his sharingan. "But I should be able to see your moves now."

"The famous sharingan…something I cannot steal with all my skills as a bandit." Kazuya's voice echoed and through the woods and before Kakashi's eyes two clones appeared from nowhere and attacked. "Mikazuki no mai!" (A/n: Translation: Dance of the Crescent Moon) The clones attacked simultaneously and smiled as they heard Kakashi's scream. Soon the smile faded and the wooden replacement fell on the ground. "Shit!" Kazuya spat. "Wait..." His eyes widened and his head turned to look at the jounin fleeing with Yui. "NO!" he shouted.

'**_That was Hayate's move. The guy is really talented. I have to be careful. My mission is to protect her. I won't fight if I don't have to.' _**Kakashi held the dead silent Yui and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. "Twisted ex-boyfriend?" He asked.

"…"

"I know it's no time for jokes but that's a serious question."

"I waited for him…so long…" She whispered. "When daddy died…I wanted his comfort so much…I waited so long…then I couldn't wait anymore…I had to comfort myself."

"And?"

"..To find out he killed daddy…it hurt…Kakashi it hurt just like that time…Kakashi…why did it have to be him?"

"You get the weird ones. I mean you did like me right?"

"I want it…I want it to go away. All my pain...I want it to go…"

"It'll go if you come with me." Kazuya appeared before the two causing Kakashi to halt. He quickly placed Yui to the ground and stood before her.

"Stay back." He whispered to her. The blonde nodded and ran as to take temporary cover behind a tree. Kazuya stood several feet form Kakashi and smiled. "You're sick. You need to keep away from her."

"I do not need advice from the likes of you. **You **are the one who sick. You're sick and wicked. **CRUEL**. The woman is tortured by the thought and sight of you and yet you continue to upset her with your presence."

"…"

"Leave…leave HER ALONE!" Kazuya charged with his sword towards the jounin's chest. Yui covered her ears and closed her eyes.

"No more…" She whispered. "God I can't take this anymore…I CAN'T!" She screamed.

* * *

"I can't." He said to the two. Naruto looked at Sasuke and Sakura. They sat in the living room near the fireplace. The carpenters had immediately rushed over to assist the Yoshimitsu despite the evening, and the weather, meaning most of the rooms were being repaired and were not warm enough yet. The three teens stayed in the now heated living room and Yume slept in the sofa. She cried herself to sleep with worry for her sister. "I just can't. His teammates looked at him with worry and concern to his words.

"You can't what?" Sakura asked.

"…"

"Naruto what is that you mean?" Sakura touched his shoulder and looked into his blue eyes. The blonde boy pushed away her hand and she stared at him blankly. "Naru---"

"You're happier with Sasuke so just stay with him. I…I can't try and have you love me anymore." He arose and headed out the room. Sasuke sat and looked at the empty doorway his best friend exited out of. He couldn't make sense of it…why? When…was he really giving up on her? Even so, why do it when he wasn't sure that Sasuke did in fact feel that way…

'**_No. Naruto knew I was beginning to feel that way is that why?'_** The young Uchiha asked himself. He looked to Sakura who sat with her hands in her lap. She twiddled with her fingers and stared at them. For some reason he felt how upset she was at that moment and did nothing. He didn't touch her, he didn't say anything to her; it wasn't his style. But he did leave the room to follow Naruto. She watched him as he left after their friend. Sasuke wasn't satisfied with Naruto just giving up like that. For everything between them it was a fight to the end. Even if it was for Sakura's affection, he'd fight him the proper way for that as well. He wasn't satisfied at all. "Naruto!" He said as he saw the boy down the hall.

"What?"

"Talk."

"I have nothing to talk about. You have what you've wanted, don't you? This time you win. You both are happy right?"

"You see it as a game?"

"No, but that's how I've been forced to play."

"What kind of crap are you talking about?" Sasuke marched up the blonde and took him by the collar. "Since when was this you?"

"…It's been me for a while. You've just been too much about everything else."

"So what exactly are you saying?"

"When you came back…I couldn't find myself happier. After being depressed for so long, your return was what I needed. It was what I dreamt about for so long…and in all that time we changed so much…"

"What point are you trying to me? Stop beating around the bush."

"Even when I outgrew my crush…with you gone...and it was only her and I, I realized something. While being that pillow to her pain I learned something! That it wasn't just some stupid crush, I loved her!" He pushed the young Uchiha away and shouted to him. "I learned I loved her!" He punched the off guard teen. "It wasn't some crush! I wasn't just some pillow, I was what she needed. A love! Because you left and fucked it up!" He looked at Sasuke with angry blue eyes and his breathing had changed. With harsh breaths he glared. "You messed everything up! Even when you came back and was my friend again you stole yet another part of happiness."

"..." Sasuke touched his bloody lip and looked at the boy who was, even in simplest way was his rival. "You bastard. Stop being so spoiled." He muttered. "Stop being childish!" He punched the blonde teen back and spat out the blood that filled his mouth. "That's the bitch way to go about this problem."

"You call me a bitch after the way you've treated people all these years!" The two were about the hit each other when Yuri grabbed both their wrists.

"You wake Yume, I'll kill you both." He growled lowly. Naruto and Sasuke stared at the blonde man. Where did he come from? Moreover how did he…? "You guys really need to lighten up. Being bitches gets no one, no where." He shrugged his shoulder and shook his head. (A/n: Like Cloud in Final Fantasy VII) "Come on, let's be friends." He smiled falsely. The two stepped back and blinked confused. "That's better. Maybe you should try helping out instead of fighting over some girl. Haruno-sama is pretty, but I'm sure there are a lot of other things needing care first. Remember, as shinobi your emotions come last. Or never…something like that…whatever. I never really cared much to be a ninja."

"Why not? You're incredibly talented." Kirara walked down the hall and approached the three. "I'm always disappointed in you, not because you can't do what's right, but because you are capable of it and fail to do so. You're so worthless."

"I'm not totally worthless; I help set a bad example. Anyways I'm going to get back to working."

"Sure...work by flirting with the maids." Yuri left and Kirara stared at the two. "If you were my own children I'd slap you upside your heads. You can resent people in life, but having resentments against friends, family, and comrades only makes things difficult, and it is a waste of energy. Besides, I'm not paying you people to fight each other; I'm paying for my family's security. I'm already holding this against your sensei. When he returns with my daughter I want you all out. If such things occur while you are here I can seek my helps else where."

"…My apologies Kirara-sama." Sakura had come out the room and stood behind Kirara. She bowed to the brunette and Kirara turned to look at the pink haired girl. "I…It's my fault. I'm sorry."

"…I just want them back safely. My daughter…and your teacher." Kirara marched down the hall and looked at the floor. Sakura glared at her two teammates and then returned to the living room. Sasuke and Naruto both sighed and looked at the floor, as if it would solve their problems.

Kirara once again found herself before the portrait of her passed husband. "You better come back." **_'Because, Hatake-san...if she lives and you perished, she'll never be happy.' _**

"_DADDY!" She screamed as they buried him. The rain fell heavily. Mud was at their feet and she watched as they placed his coffin into the ground. "DADDY!" She reached for him as Yuri held her around the waist. Her will to have him back greater than his strength. "NO! FATHER! Give him back...God please…PLEASE!" She fell on her knees and began to dig up the dirt insanely. Yuri tired his best to hold, but she slipped from him as he made effort to keep her back._

_Kirara walked over and stepped before her oldest daughter. She kneeled into the mud and held her crying child. "Shh..." _

"_NO! No..."_

"_Shh…" She hugged the younger woman and rocked gently as if she was small again. "I'm here…mommy is here now…" _

"_Daddy is gone for good now mom. He's gone for good...how am I supposed to live…how…?" _

"_I'm here…Yuri and baby Yume…we're here. You still have us…just…Yui…" She looked at her daughter. With her eyes as watery as Yui's she looked at her. "Please for my sake?" _

"_..I…I CAN'T!" _

"_YOU WILL!"_

_And the sound of a slap against wet skin echoed. _

* * *

Kakashi watched carefully as Kazuya darted from left to right. The man jumped into he air and pointed his blade downwards as to land, with it meant to go through Kakashi's skull. He frowned when he saw he destroyed another shadow clone.

Kakashi hid behind a tree and held his breath. **_'He's fast. Maybe faster than Gai. What makes it hard is that I can barely see him, especially through all this snow. All I can find is his scent…That's right. The sea water. That's how I found him. That's how I'll detect him."_**

"Where have you gone sharingan user? Your infamous eye is of no use to you while against me? Have you fled? Or are you just hiding?" Kazuya's eyes looked around his snowy terrain and he frowned. **_'Where is hiding? I can still sense him. Where is he? Bastard.'_** "Come and fight me shinobi of Konoha. Or do you care for Yui so little?"

"..." The silver haired jounin pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. He bit his thumb as to get blood for his summoning technique. He'd have his dogs smell him out.

"Do you think I know naught of you? I've been watching Yui for years. I heard of how you crushed her. I watched all those nights she stayed up late in fury and misery. I watched as slowly sank down and began to cry. I was there. Where were **you**?"

Yui shook her head as every word reached her. '**That can't be Yuki…it can't be….all of this….it cannot be true. I don't want to believe it.'**

Kakashi sent his bloody thumb across the scroll and froze as Kazuya appeared before him with the scroll stabbed into the tree he was hidden behind. "What were **you** doing? I loved Yui. I loved her so much I _killed_ for her. And after all this time you think I'll be obstructed by you and I almost have her? I refuse!" The dark haired male pulled the blade from the tree and swung around cutting Kakashi across the stomach as he dodged.

Kakashi held his stomach in pain. He was careless that moment. **'I am getting old.'** He realized the slash across his stomach was much longer than he thought. The length of the cut would cause a loss of much blood, which would slow him down and make hiding more difficult. His blood dripped on the snow covered ground. At that rate his began to feel light headed, and his vision began to blur. He needed to end the battle quickly.

"Tired? Already?" Kazuya walked towards the jounin who seemed to be losing the battle. "You see, you're not even fit to fight me. And still you choose to block my way?"

"As long as I live I'll protect her." Yui listened carefully to Kakashi's words. Was he admitting his feelings for her? "It's my mission." He tried to stand as his spilling blood continued to taint the pure white snow. "I will **never** just abandon her. I'll always come back…as long as waits." Her eyes widened and she brought her hands over her mouth.

'**_He'll always come back…as long as I wait…does he—?'_**

"Shut up. Why would such a woman wait for the likes of you?"

"Why would the same wait for you?" Kakashi responded.

"You are a funny one." Kazuya said sarcastically. "It's a shame….you **must** go. I do not like being provoked." Kazuya slowly headed towards Kakashi then within the blink of an eye he was gone. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" he said as he threw the shuriken and they duplicated. Kakashi moved to avoid the rain of shuriken from above. Kazuya was now in the air. Kakashi need an opportunity to have him remain still for his Chidori, but that seemed nearly unattainable.

Kazuya landed back to ground and charged towards Kakashi. He kneed the man in his stomach. Unable to withstand anymore with such a wound he fell to the ground on his knees. "It is now you die. Your end is now." He raised his blade as to cut off the head of the silver haired male but froze….

_When Yui hugged him from behind. _

"Please…no more…" She asked. "No more Yuki…" He felt hot tears against his back and listened to light sobs. "End it now…please?" Kazuya lowered his weapon and his hands fell to his side. His eyes widened.

"Yui…" He whispered.

"Don't...don't kill him. Please…if you love me, like you say you do, you won't kill anyone else I love." Kazuya gritted his teeth and his nostrils flared. He turned around and threw the blonde to the ground.

"**YOU ARE TO LOVE NO ONE BUT ME!**" As he turned again to Kakashi his eyes showed his shock as the Chidori went through his lower abdomen, and his katana through Kakashi's own body. The two men had stabbed through each other simultaneously, in the same area. Yui watched in utter astonishment as the moment occurred.

Kakashi stepped back with the sword still in his side. He could feel the blade through his lung. Yuki stammered back with his blood practically pouring onto the snow covered earth. He fell to the ground and in an image that appeared to be slowed down, he landed beside Yui. He looked at her with tears in his eyes. She stared back, unable to bring herself to words, with tears in her own. "Why…? She cried.

"I couldn't…I couldn't get back…" He said to her as blood trickled down his chin. "I would have returned sooner but…I wasn't good enough… I'm sorry I couldn't make it back to you…"

"WHY!" She screamed. She pushed away his forming tears with the sleeve of her robe. "Why…Yuki?"

"Because…" He began.

"Because…?" She asked.

"You loved him so… more than you did me."

"…what…?" Faint images of her father appeared, and even fainter images of Kazuya. So little of him… so few…he was almost vanishing in her eyes.

"I killed him for the reason… that I wanted you to me wholly. You loved him more. You loved him so much more…" He voice was slowly dying with his existence. "I always felt I had to compete with Kyoshi… I always, even though he never tried. I...I always… was not your greatest love. I hated being second to him. I wanted you to love me wholly as you did him."

"He was my father and you Yuki…! You…!"

As his eyelids slowly tired gentle snow flakes fell upon his face. "I wanted you to love me…as I did you…"

"I did! Yuki I loved you with all my heart and soul! I waited for you until my heart could bleed no more from pain! I really did love you entirely!" She cried. Kakashi stood and watched. He pulled the blade from his body and dropped it to the ground. And as he watched, his heart ached for the man just a little…

"...Almost" While his breathing ceased his lids fell heavier and his life was no more, Yui understood how sickly in love Kazuya Yuki was with her. She wished it wasn't that way. She did not want it to end so... "Almost…but…not quite…" He said with nothing inside of him. It was now that he was dead. She kissed his forehead as tears slid down her cheeks. Another love lost. More had been taken from her.

Kakashi stood there and pulled out the sword from his side then stood before her. She looked up to him. More tears came. "Why?" She cried. With her eyes puffy and red and her cheeks rosy she appeared more beautiful than life itself. More than anything. At least…to Kakashi at that moment. Despite her pain, she still was beautiful. The most precious thing he had.

"I…" He began. "Yui…"

"Why did it turn out like this…?"

"Yui…" Kakashi could no longer see. All that remained in his views was her image. His knees gave in and slowly his body fell to the ground. Yui watched him. His collapsing image was slow and she got up to quickly catch the man. Her arms wrapped around him and his head lay against her chest. Yui took her time and gently laid his body to the ground. "I always had this fear…this fear…so I never loved…I feared never…never coming back. Because of what I do…of who I am…my profession…I feared I'd never come back to _you_."

Yui's eyes widened. "Me?" She asked. "Is that why you…?"

"…"

"Kakashi…say something…don't shut your lips to me like last time!"

"…"

"Kakashi?" She placed her head against his chest. His heart beat was dying. He had nearly nothing left in him. In her throat was a dry feeling. She was in fear. She was anxious. "Kakashi…I…I love you. I still love you. So much." She put her hand on his stomach and felt the warm blood. And now her fingertips were freezing. Yuki's jutsu had worn off and soon she would no longer be able to remain in the cold. Along with that Kakashi was dying. "…Kakashi…?" She whispered. She looked and saw he was pale in complexion and pulled down his mask to see his lips becoming blue. "KAKASHI!" She screamed.

* * *

A/n: The NaruSakuSasu love triangle is getting hard to deal with. Their drama will be brought down a bit just for the next couple of chapters... Moreover I know Sasuke was **real OOC** this chapter but as I've said before…I find him a fairly hard character to work with sometimes. So…my apologies for that. The typos too. There's like an infinite amount of them in all my chapters. Well…LATER! 


	10. Her Patience

A/n: Okay so I didn't get as many reviews as I've dreamt about, but…I'm glad I did get some. I'd like to dedicate this particular chapter to the reviewer **_Hanariko_**. Your reviews, especially, keep me going. I'm glad to have such a faithful reviewer and I'm glad to have such a large group read and enjoy. Thank you all very much for what you've given. Uh..Sasuke and Naruto are a little out of character for this chapter too. Maybe even Sakura..I'm not sure. Moreover, this chapter will have instances from Yui's P.O.V. and it will be her thought…so there will we a lack of grammar usage there, being that thoughts are ongoing. (Tips from fine Literature works really well…) Forgive whatever typos are in this chapter...I'm just really too lazy sometimes (all the time) to correct them. I hope they don't take way from the chapter too much. I hope you enjoy.

**Bold for Yui's P.O.V. **

**_Bold Italics for thought_**

_Italics for memory lapses. (As if you already didn't know…) _

As the snow fell from the sky an icy winter wind blew. The sky was dead, and dark, despite all the pure white snow. Yachi appeared from behind one of the many trees. He walked towards the dead body that belonged to the once living Kazuya Yuki. He stood beside the lifeless man. All he could do was sigh deeply. Shinra hopped from a tree and kneeled to Yuki's side. He touched his cold, dead face. The brunette bit his bottom lip as Yachi began to speak.

"In the end his love for that woman killed him. Look now, upon this departed man who died. The reason was to his sick love. Thanks to her our lead man is no more." Yachi looked around and saw Kazuya's katana lying in the snow. Near that sight was a trail of blood and footprints.

"That blonde bitch is the reason for all this. I told him women were no good. Should we seek revenge?" He asked. Shinra's fingertips traced his jaw line and felt in his own side a great pain in result to the recent loss. "Tell me we can." He looked up to the older man and asked him earnestly. "Tell me I can kill her! Kazuya was my friend! All he wanted to do was be the best and come back for her!" He shouted. "Tell me I can steal her life!"

Yachi looked into Shinra's pleading eyes and closed his own. After a long moment of silence, with no sound but that of the winter wind, Yachi answered. "No. I warned him this would bring his demise. He refused to listen. He failed to heed my warning. I as his own doing." Shinra slammed a fist into the snowy ground and breathed heavily.

"Damn it!"

"Moreover, there is nothing in this village of worth left to steal. The Yoshimitsu estate has nothing worth our time. I've checked."

"...liar." Shinra muttered. "There are other reasons. Is it because of the Konoha-nin?"

"No."

"Then why?" He shouted. His voice echoed into the empty woods. "Sentiment?"

"…"

"So it is sentimental reasons. Even years after she had been married and had three children you still lover her. Women such as her…they disgust." He spat.

"Let us leave." Yachi ordered.

"…and him? Does he not deserve the proper burial?"

"…laying here in the snow…it probably is the burial he would want."

"To be covered by snow…? Kazuya Yuki."

"Snow. That suits him best." Yachi and Shinra walked through the ice cold blizzard and vanished, never to return to the village again. The snow fell and totally covered Yuki's body…all left to the earth was his katana. A gift to him from Yoshimitsu Kyoshi for his 18th birthday… the day he left.

"_For you." Kyoshi said as he handed the blade to Yuki. _

"_Me? So you still care to give me gifts? I thought you hated me." _

"_I don't. I've never said that Yuki." He looked to the young man wiht slight upset in his eyes. _

"_Liar."_

"_Despite what you think, I'll never come to hate you." He shook his head. "Never." _

"_Whatever." Yuki turned away and stared at the floor. _

"_Here." Kyosi wlaked before him. Hehanded the boy the katana. Yuki's eyes looked at Kyoshi with utter confusion. He snatched the weapon away and turned his back to the blonde once more._

"… _Though I'm not grateful for this I'm taking it anyway." _

"_Even if you say you're not grateful…I know you are." Kyoshi smiled and soon egan to laugh. "i could never come to hate you Yuki. You are family. Rememeber...you've stopped running."_

…

**_I'll Wait for You (Her Patience)_**

**I dragged along for as long as I possibly could. I think my physical strengthgave way a long time ago, and only my will drove me. My ankles burned and my body ached. I couldn't even breathe…My eyes hurt…my head…my heart. **

**I dropped him before me as I collapsed. I made it…I was now before the front door. I could make it. I had to…I had too much to lose if I didn't. I made it this far. The only thing left to do was knock. Please hear me. **

She jumped. Yume sat in the hall and jumped to the sound of a violent knock. "Who's there?" She asked in a whisper. No answer came. The blonde girl had been waiting alone since she had awoken. By that time the rest of the household was already asleep. It was pitch black outside; the only light had been the pure white snow. Now it was the darkest hour. The hour before dawn. The knock occurred again. "H-hey…someone…anyone! There's someone at the door!" She shouted. "HEY!"

Yuri fell out the closet with one of the maids between his legs. "Yes..?" He responded. Yume blinked to him annoyed. Even at such times he was just sometimes really thoughtless.

"…" She blinked to him annoyed.

"…" The maid scrambled from between his legs and ran down the hall.

"You're a loser. A genuine loser. I swear."

"You asked for help?" He said as he got up.

"Not from you." Yume frowned. "I hate you." The knock was louder and more violent. "MOMMY!" Yume screamed. In less than a minute the entire household came. "The door." She said and pointed.

"…" Kirara looked at it and frowned. "Yume you frightened me. Now what about the door?" She asked. The brunette looked at Yuri who shrugged. "Well…?" Sakura rubbed her eyes. Sasuke scratched the back of head, and Naruto yawned. "Yume?"

"Someone was knocking really loud." The next knock that came was faint, and much weaker than the first few. It could barely be heard as Kirara reached for the door slowly. Her hand shook violently. Every person behind her held their breaths and the three young chuunin stayed alert. "Who is it?" She asked as she slid the doors the house open…

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouted. Naruto and Sasuke dashed past the group and picked up the man who was once their teacher.

**He lay before meand all I could do was watch. As they picked him up and ran into the house leaving a trail of blood behind all I could do was watch. My eyes became blurry from forming tears. Everything was frozen to me. My existence…I couldn't even scream. I can't…Even if I wanted to touch him I couldn't reach. My universe was crumbling. It was fading.**

**My mother and Yuri helped me off the ground and pulled me into the house. **"Kakashi…"** I whispered. Everything in front of me was fading and as I saw them going with Kakashi, they too vanished. All I could see was him walking away…he was leaving. No. He was leaving like Yuki, and Daddy. No. No. Kakashi don't leave. Don't leave me. Please…right now...I don't know how long I can wait! NO! **

"NO!" She screamed. She cried in hysteria as she watched them vanish down the end of the hall with him. Yuri held his sibling as she struggled to get free. "LET GO! KAKASHI DON'T LEAVE ME!" She screamed. "PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Yuri held her tighter and Kirara watched while her hands shook violently. "LET ME GO!"

"Yuri let her go…"

"Mother...she's gone mad."

"Let her go, now." The blonde looked at his mother and slowly released grip. Yume stood behind one of the maids and Yui stopped her screaming. Her body shook violently and she sank to the floor. "Yui..." Kirara called gently.

"He can't go…" She reached forward. Her hand extended and she touched nothing but air. "Don't leave me like father…like Yuki…I don't know how long I can wait…"

"Yui. Stop." She said. Kirara sat on the floor beside the woman and touched her hands. They were freezing cold. By just coming in contact with her there was a burning like feeling. It pained the two as they looked at each other. "I'm here…okay?"

"Mother…is that you mother?" Her mind blocked all her images. She responded to voice. Her sanity was temporarily diminished.

"Yes."

"He's leaving me. Mom…I don't want him to go. Not like everyone else. Not like everyone else I've loved."

"He won't. Okay? Come here. Come." She hugged the frozen blonde and everyone watched in utter shock.

Before her eyes and in her head everything was crumbling. Her hopes, her dreams, her fears, nothing was in her any longer. All she had now was… "Yui…just wait," Yume whispered "like I did for you."

* * *

She pulled the blankets to his chin and sighed. Several hours. That is how long it had taken her to keep the blood from flowing. In addition he had internal damage to his lung. Sakura sighed. Could her trip become any worse? "Naruto, Sasuke, and now you sensei…Why all this?" She sat at the chair that was to the bedside. "What's happening to us?" She put her hand to her chest, over her heart. "I'm so tired now…"

"_Kakashi-sensei don't die! Come now!" With the best of her medical ninjutsu she tried to save the man who was once her teacher. Everything was riding on her learned abilities. The only thing left after her tasks to heal him and save his life was time. Time would decide whether he would make it or not. A wait that would haunt every person in that household. A wait added to her anxiety. As if she needed anymore._

"You should get back to bed." Sasuke said as he entered the room. He walked over to her and touched her shoulder.

"I was going to bed soon…but...I just want to sit here for now, that's all."

"Naruto is with Yume and Yuri. He said he didn't feel like seeing Kakashi like this."

"Yui?"

"Her mother locked her in her room. She needed to calm down. She practically went mad."

"Can you blame her? Look what has happened in a less than a month. The pressure and emotion are unbearable. It's very nerve wrecking as well." Sakura arose from the chair.

"You should have seen her crumble."

"Was it heartbreaking?"

"..Yes. Even for me." They walked out the room and Sasuke slid the doors shut. "I never want to see anyone crumble like that. It's horrid."

"Usually you're uncaring to such things. Why does it bother you now?"

"…It makes me think of…forget it. I'd rather not say." The dark haired male looked away and sighed deeply. "I've become sentimental...All because of you." He looked to Sakura who blushed slightly to his gaze.

"…Oh." Her eyes stared to the floor and she rubbed her arm.

"Go to sleep." He looked into her green eyes. "I see the weariness in your eyes." Sasuke used his finger to raise her head up by her chin. Her bottom lip quivered and she closed her eyes. As his lips moved toward her own Sakura re-opened her eyes and froze to the image before her.

'**_Naruto…?' _**It was his blue eyes staring at her as she looked again. They were sad and broken. Filled with pain and resentment. Because of her? Because of Sasuke? Them both? When it occurred to her, she really…they really did hurt him.

Since their three man team was chosen she put Naruto below her feelings for Sasuke. Still…he cared for her despite that. At the time it was just a stupid crush but even after they grew his fondness of her never changed. She understood how much he really cared when Sasuke left. That time frame he was absent from Sakura learned that Naruto had more than a fondness of her. He wanted to be her everything. Even if it was to clean up the glass Sasuke broke, he wanted to do it, for her.

"No." She muttered. Sasuke's lips were merely a centimeter from hers. He stopped and looked at her teary eyes. "No. This time…no." The Uchiha stepped back and looked at her questionably. "I…I still feel a lot for you Sasuke. That won't change. But…I've come to feel a lot for Naruto too. That I cannot change either. So for now…can we all just drop this?" She asked. Her eyes scanned the floor and she held herself. "Okay?"

Sasuke looked at the pink haired female and frowned. "Alright then. I'll force nothing onto you."

"Thanks Sasuke. I'm going to sleep. I barely have any charka left after dealing with Kakashi-sensei." She headed down the hall back to her room and Sasuke looked at Naruto who approached.

"I'm sure you heard." Sasuke said to him.

"I may silly, but I'm not deaf."

"Right. Listen. This changes nothing."

"What? Of course it does. I consider you more of a rival now than I did those years ago. Forget the strength. It's different now. It's all for her."

"Fine. I'll beat you in that too if you see it that way."

"It's not a game, remember?"

"I know it's not. Still..." He walked past the blonde. "As humans we have to do it as so." He vanished down the darken hallway and Naruto frowned. He looked at the door to Kakashi's room. "Wake up. For Yui. For us. Wake up. This way we can hurry and go home. Being here makes me sick." He stood there for a moment. Time would remain still...as they waited. As she…

* * *

**I sat up. It was late evening. How long had I been in bed? I was wondering. When did I fall asleep in here? Right. I remember screaming my lungs off. I fell asleep around ten I think. Maybe a bit earlier. I can't recall. **

**I looked up to the clock. It showed minutes to one. When did we arrive? Maybe earlier that day. That's right. We came in before dawn. I know I threw away my breakfast when they brought it to me. I had lost it. I felt slightly chilled as well. Maybe a hot bath now. Yes. That should do me some good.**

**I slid the room door open and walked down the hall. It was empty. The entire house seemed very empty. Everyone is most likely in bed now. Yeah, sleeping. It was too late for any other activity to go on. **

**I proceed to the bathroom and closed the door behind me. The bathroom was warm and had sauna like feel. That or I was extremely cold before I came in. As I set the bath and shed the clothes from my boy I looked at what feel to the ground. A long nightgown. It was thick. I don't remember having this on when I came in. They must have put it on me. I turned off the faucet and entered the steaming bath water. It was true relief. **

**I watched the water from the faucet drip. I watched it ever so carefully. I watched every last drop. The faucet for some reason did not annoy me as it usually did. Since my youth whilst I bathed the damn faucet would drip. It would annoy me, but…not now. For some reason…now I brought back thoughts I had run from for years. **

**Since father's death I was running from a lot of things. Everything. I think I only stopped to try and become stronger. I wanted to find his murderer. I wanted to face the killer so I could give him back the pain he gave me tenfold. I never would have considered that my first love would have been the one to do it. I never considered that. At all. What would I have done if I knew prior? Maybe nothing, just as I did when I did see him. **

**My time in Konoha _was_ in vain. **

Drip.

**I wasted so much time to only get hurt badly. **

Drip.

**I mess up in everything I do. I'm pathetic. A soon to become village leader. As a ninja…**

Drip.

**As a friend. As a daughter. **

Drip.

**As a lover. **

Drip.

**As a woman...a failure as…**

Drip.

**A human being. How can anyone love me?**

Drip…

**In those days with him…we were each other's everything…I remember that. It's been thirteen years. Yes. It has. It was a day on the beach. We were playing around as usual. We hung out. We goofed off. We played. I treasured those days so much. I remember…that day Yuki told me he loved me. I remember. **

"_Here." He handed her the sea shell and smiled. His long dark hair blew in the wind that smelled of the sea. His eyes had a reflection of the sun and the sea. "I hope you like it." _

_She smiled as she looked at it in her hands. It was so precious to her .Magnificent._

"_Well?" He asked. _

"_Yuki-kun. I love it! I'll keep it with me all of the days in my life." _

"_Yeah…" His cheeks turned a slight pink to her words. Kazuya reached out and held her hand. "Yui-san…?"_

"_Huh?" _

"_I love you, Yui-san." She blushed to hearing his words. The seashell fell to the ground as her body shook in astonishment and excitement. "Oh! You dropped it---"_

"_No, I got it—" The two bumped their foreheads into each other and rubbed it as a result of the painful contact._

"_Sorry." He muttered. _

"_Me too." She said. His dark eyes seemed warm and she smiled. _

"_Huh? No it was my fault." _

_She shook her head. "No. I mean I love you too Yuki-kun. I really do…"_

"…"

"_You've always been there for me. I love you Yuki." He handed the blonde back the shell as the salty breeze blew her hair over her glowing eyes._

"_Love no one but me Yui..."_

Drip.

"_Always…" She smiled. He took the palm of her hand and gently kissed it. She blushed to the warm feeling of his gentle lips on her skin. She had been in love. Real love. At one time…_

Drip.

"_That's how this came about." He took her hand and placed it over his eye. He frowned. She sent her finger along the length of his scar and sighed. "There are moments whether I question it. A gift? A curse. These days…I can never tell. All I can do is go on as I am. I'm too old for change." _

_Kakashi's sharingan. A gift from his long since departed friend Obito. When he told her of this death, it brought to mind thoughts of her father. "… and your teacher?" _

"_He arrived late. I saw him once I awoke." _

"…"

"_Rin was never the same. A while after Obito's death many things had happened. I actually saw less of sensei and Rin. I joined Anbu around fifteen and sometime before that sensei died…he sealed the Kyuubi. He gave his life for his village. The great Yondaime."_

"…" _Kazuya's parents had died assisting Konoha in that battle. They were mercenary. After all his tears Kyoshi took Kazuya. He felt it was only right. He knew the boy needed family. Yuki and his parents had been good friends with Kyoshi in the beginning. It only made sense._

"_I think I lost my humanity around that time. I couldn't handle anything with emotion…no more losses. Since my father…since Obito. So much. Anbu eliminated my idea of feeling. Of humanity. I don't remember well what I was like then. It's a little difficult now."_

"_Understood…" She kissed his forehead as tears slid down her cheeks. So much sorrow. So much. Life was cruel. Living it was proof of that. _

**Drip**

**Ieyes snapped openand sat up. Had I almost drowned? Idozed offin the water. For how long…? As I gasped for breath I looked around for a while. The bath water was lukewarm. I looked at my hands and they were slightly wrinkled from sitting in the bath so long. So much thought. Everything….I messed up so badly…I promised Yuki something I didn't keep. And Kakashi…pains I claimed to understandyet I was being too spoiled to try and understand his last actions to me before I went. And I said I understood. I said I loved him. **

**Father? **

"Y_ou can't stop to greet people if you keep running." Kyoshi told Yuki as grabbed his hand. The young boy had tears sliding down his cheeks. "Stop running." _

"…_I have…" _

"_That's right. Now, greet all the people you can. The more friends you make the more support you have." Kyoshi kneeled and hugged the young boy. "Like me. If you stop running and wait for people then those you love can come and support you, because they love you as well. Stop running…and wait. Patience…it is a virtue." _

"…_Kyoshi-sama?" Yuki cried against his shoulder. _

"_Yes?" _

"_Thank you…" _

"_Yuki…you are welcome." _

**I got out of the tub. I dried myself and headed down the dark and empty halls once again. This time I did not go to my room…but his. **

"_... In this sad reality I exist in, I'm running from everything hoping…someday…someone will follow." Tears began to fall from her eyes. To Kakashi they were like crystals from the sky. He could see them despite the rain. "I can't have someone follow if I don't stop running to greet people." He pulled her close and held her. _

"_Please stop running." He said. The rain poured harder. _

"_...I have." He looked into her glowing green eyes and brought his arms around her waist. He leaned in once more, even more gentle then the first time. For the second time that night, he kissed her. She kissed back. Although cold and drenched the touch of their lips was heated and burning. The cold feelings of their bodies could not compare to the scorching feeling of their lips. When they parted they looked deep into each other's eyes. Nothing else mattered. No one else needed to care. "I love you…" _

**The door. **

**It was vanishing…Drifting…fading…I reached for it. I touched it. It felt so cold. More frozen than the snow outside…yet more burning than a raging fire. This rift between Daddy…Yuki…Kakashi…my sanity…Now as I hold my hands against this door...now I feel no temperature. No feeling. So empty. I became frozen. _'Move.' _I thought_. 'Move…MOVE!' _Iscreamed mentally. **

**I slid the door open. **

**He lay there. I couldn't breathe. I stood there momentarily then walked over to his side. The weakness in my body made my knees give in. I fell to the floor and grabbed the sheets on the bed. Before I realized it I began to cry. I cried so much and so hard. **"I can't live without you. You…for you…only…for you. It's all the love I have left!"** I brought the sheet to my face and cried more. **"I'm done running and I'll wait. I'll wait for you all the days of my life**!" I looked at his still figure. **"Kakashi…I'll wait for you...forever…if I must…I'll wait for you…I promise...and I'll keep that promise…"

* * *

And she did. There she sat. It had been a week. She sat to his side unmoving. Yui held his cool hand and watched him. Her lips motioned words of prayer that she hoped would reach him. She looked at his hand as she held it. "His hand…it's so much bigger than mine. I never paid much attention to it. I've held this hand so many times before…and never realized it." She placed it back to his side and held herself. **_'The room feels a bit colder than the rest of the house.' _**She touched his hand and ran her fingers through his hair. "Kakashi…"

The snow fell outside…

"You know…I never apologized for everything before. I'm sorry…for everything. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused, you know? For saying those cruel things about Obito and getting Naruto hurt. I want your forgiveness...please. You don't owe me any apology when you wake. I owe you so many! I…These same feelings were those I had for Kazuya. Hm…you hear me? I'm blabbering now. Hm…I didn't even realize it. I'm really an idiot huh?"

She looked at the door as Sakura slid it open. She smiled faintly to Yui. "Kirara says breakfast is ready…"

"I'm not hungry…"

"…Okay. I'll tell them then."

"Don't bother waiting."

"Right."

"It's like that time…just like that time. I did the same a week after daddy died. I sat in his room and cried. I didn't eat. Mother...she didn't force me to either. I think I started eating well again after about...a month. I made myself really sick that time. I remember that well."

"Oh…you should take better care."

"Hm?"

"Of your body I mean. Emotions do stop us, but lack in health helps no one. Especially you. Tsunade-sama reminded me of that. The year Naruto went off with Jiraiya-sama I felt horrible. Sasuke was gone, then Naruto. I had dreams of them coming back. And…I was so haunted by their lack of presence." She walked to Yui's side and looked at Kakashi. "I stopped eating for weeks. I lost a lot of weight and energy…it interfered with my training…so Tsunade-sama helped me out. I was back on track a little after."

"Tsunade was friends with my father. I remember I was really young when I saw her. She was gambling…she had lost a good amount of money too. Loan sharks were after her. Not that she couldn't take them, but it wouldn't be the best of choices…so father paid them off."

"That was kind of him."

"He said beautiful woman shouldn't be pursued by loan sharks. Moreover, he knew them well and compromised. This is a village of merchants, and my family is the head."

"…"

"Still…"

"Haruno-san! Yui-sama!" One of the maids called.

"I should go."

"Yeah. Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"How are you and the boys handling?"

"..We…I decided to drop the situation. Kakashi-sensei's recovery is more my concern now."

"Ahh…I see. Always remain as you are Sakura. And you'll get what you deserveifyou reamin as this person."

"Thanks Yui." Sakura exited the room and Yui turned her gaze back to the sleeping male. His coma could last for an unknown amount of time...but she'd wait as long as it took.

* * *

Sakura walked down the hall and saw Naruto. She waved morning to him and he smiled weakly. She walked ahead as he waited for Sasuke to exit their room. As the Uchiha stepped out the room he glared at Naruto. "Yes?" He asked slightly annoyed.

"I know we haven't been speaking lately but I think we can at least come together for Kakashi-sensei and Yui-chan. Sakura-chan…she needs the break too."

"I'm fully aware of that."

"So our spoiled behavior ends here? Truce?"

"Wait." Sasuke held up his hands before the blonde. "Since when are you this out of character?"

"The situation calls for more serious behavior."

"…Whatever, dobe." He walked past the blonde and Naruto stood there with a small smile. Even though tension sat between he and his closet peers some things were never to change.

'**_No matter what comes between us three...I hope we always remain the same.' _**He turned and followed Sasuke to breakfast.

* * *

"I'm waiting for you Kakashi…for as long as it takes." Yui said to the sleeping man. She kissed his forehead as silent tears slid down her cheeks. "For as long as it takes…patience is a virtue" She whispered. 


	11. Saying I Love You

A/n: Greetings. What it has been, like three months? Oh well. I GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 27th! YAY! Ahem I'm here to simply say Thank You for your reviews. I now bring to you all the final chapter of this fiction. Enjoy. Moreover, I hope I'll have much support for the upcoming sequel** _"Troublesome Romance" _**the final saga for the **_Romantic Antics Series_. **This chapter is dedicated to my best friend J.K Linx for keeping by me through and through with this work.

**Naruto: So there's more? **

**Sasuke: Apparently. **

**Sakura: Will our situation be worked out before this is all over? **

**Magic: I'm not quite sure….OH WELL! I'm graduating soon! It's the last chapter. It may suck though…I've been procrastinating, and moreover…I'm OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT OTHER STFF! LIKE GRADUATION! So don't criticize me too much. Please be nice. Get comfortable guys it's really, really long. Love you all, and thank you. See you for the SEQUEL! **

**_Saying I Love You_**

**__**

In his youth, Hatake Kakashi had multiple brushes with death. The most painful ones were not his own, but of those he cared for. From his father, to sensei, with his best friend in between, death was the ultimate thief. It stole so many lives.

He laid there, a state of unending sleep. Would death be thief to his own life?

He never feared it. In being shinobi, such is programmed into your system. The idea of death is eliminated from your list. Fear of it not required. Having no fear of death is mandatory. But...when one did die, would the rest of their fears catch up to them? Would his death bring his fear to his very face?

Yui was his everything. Leaving her now...in more despair...that was a fear he couldn't face, even in death.

Sasuke looked over to Naruto. The blonde looked out the window. His blue yes watched the falling snow. The weather, which should have gotten better, became worse. Even the air in the house was cold. Both could feel it in their lungs. "Naruto." Sasuke called. He raised his head and turned to look at the dark haired male.

"What?"

"Get away from the window...you'll get sick."

"What do you care?"

"I don't. But...Sakura would be concerned if you even had a sniffle, so just move away from the damn window already."

"...I don't remember you being so annoying when we were younger." The blonde wrinkled his nose and Sasuke frowned.

"I don't remember me ever caring for your opinion either." The two boys glared at each other and Sakura gently slid the door open. She looked at the two males and wondered why they proceeded fussing over stupid things.

"You know, I'm not even going to ask what you're fighting about now." She told them.

"You." Naruto responded. Sakura turned a pale color to Naruto's answer. "I'm kidding." The pink haired female walked towards the boy and hit him upside his head. He held it in pain and a small tear formed in his eye.

"Sorry. I was just kidding. Owie." He sat on the floor holding his head in pain and Sasuke smirked. His expression changed when Naruto asked how Kakashi was.

"I don't know. I haven't been in there since this morning." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "He's doing a lot better, but I'm not sure if he'll wake up soon."

"Or at all." Yuri said. He stood in the doorway and Sasuke glared at him.

"No one asked you." Naruto responded.

"Your point?" He snapped.

"I think you should leave Yuri-san. You have a tendency to say the most inconsiderate things. Why would you say that?" Sakura asked. She faced the man and looked at him angrily.

"If you don't set your hopes too high then, it'll hurt less when your dreams are crushed. All I'm saying is if Hatake-san doesn't make it, it'll hurt less if you didn't expect him to" Naruto charged towards the older blonde but halted when Sasuke stood before him.

"Get out." He said through gritted teeth. "Now." Yuri smiled falsely (A/n: Like Ichimaru Gin from "Bleach". He's awesome. The show is too.) And backed away a few steps

"Fine. I'm going." He turned his back to the three teens and smiled. "But take into consideration what I've said. I mean...its how my mother sees me. That if she expects nothing then it won't be a disappointment when nothing comes out. It's how Yui sees me too. And Yume...and I see myself." He walked down the dark hall leaving the three to grasp his words.

Yoshimitsu Yuri stood before Kakashi's room door. He stared at the hard wood and frowned deeply. He had now reached an all time low. What he said to Naruto and company was uncalled for. It was cold.

In her time of despair he didn't do anything for her. He didn't then, and he didn't now. Or was it more that he couldn't? In all of his worthlessness he could not even do anything for the sister he loved so much. Yuri finally opened the door and saw the younger blonde sleeping in the chair with a blanket over her. He smiled weakly and looked over to the man she waited for. Even he, who hurt her, was able to give something for her…and not even her older brother could.

'**_I'm so useless…' _**He thought to himself. "Hope...dreams...I'm only useless because I have none. Since she told me you were gone father...I became nothing."

"_Yui!" Yuri ran through the snow. As he ran, leaving behind the home which was now in flames, he breathed heavily. Out of nowhere in the winter season rain began to fall. The rain, washing away the snow, and putting out the burning flames on the village, began to fall. "Yui where are you?" He shouted. He found the young girl crying in a dark alley way. "YUI!" He ran towards her. _

_In her arms she held the sleeping Yume. Hot tears slid down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot. "Yuri…" _

"_Yui, are you alright?" He kneeled down to his sibling. Despite the fact his hands were numb, and bleeding he cared nothing for them...nothing for anything until he knew what happened to his sisters. "I'm here now. Don't worry…" _

"_Daddy…he's…" She rocked back and forth, tears still streaming down her face. _

"_What happened?" He looked upon the blanket in which Yume was wrapped in. The blanket had streaks of blood across it. He examined Yui further and saw her entire wear was covered in dried blood. "Are you hurt?" _

"_Daddy…he's gone Yuri."_

"_Gone?" _

"_Dead." _

"…" _His eyes widened and he drew in deep breaths. The cold air chilled his lungs and no longer could he even feel his arms, but with all that he had left in him he hugged the woman which was his sister. _

"_He is gone." She cried against his shoulder. Her hot tears against his bare skin felt like fire in the cold of the winter night. He swore he could feel the scorching of his skin when they fell. Even in the cold rain his flesh burned. "He's dead." She whispered._

* * *

Yui awoke. Her green eyes searched around her area for she had sensed an alternate presence. She frowned when she saw it was her brother. Yui looked at him, annoyed with him staring at her. "What?" She asked. Yuri shook his head. "Why are you in here?"

The older blonde looked at her for another moment and turned as to exit the room. "No real reason I just wanted…" He trailed off and froze at the door. "Yume. Yume wanted me to get you. She needed you for some particular reason."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She never tells me anything, remember?"

"…okay then. Uh…I'll be right back. Don't do anything stupid."

"The man is half dead. What could I possibly do?" Yui glared at Yuri for his inconsiderate response and stood up from the chair. She frowned and walked out the room in a hurry. "She won't be gone too long." He muttered to himself.

Yuri looked at the chair and saw that there was the blanket, which was folded and place over the arm. "I guess she sleeps with it." He walked over to the wooden chair and picked up the cotton woven comforter. After only a minute of analyzing it he smiled weakly. "Bet she doesn't even remember that I gave this to her." The blonde sat down and looked at the sleeping jounin. Every thought in his mind only told him to speak his troubled heart. Even if no one heard.

So he did.

"Since we were younger….I was always bothering Yui. I don't know…I guess….I wanted her to be tough around the edges, this way she couldn't get hurt so easily. For a long period of time it worked. Until Yuki left…for some reason after that she just bottled up and became…so icy like. Then…father died….she was more frozen than the weather outside." He looked at the man. "She swore she'd love no more. Then. I could do nothing for her. Still can't either. I'm pathetic."

"…"

"I gave this blanket to her on her sixth birthday. It doesn't show its age because when no one looks I care for it. I feel it's the only evidence that I'm her brother."

"…"

"You lay there and are probably wondering why I'm telling you this stuff. Why I'm just rambling on and on….it's just that…I can't do anything for her. I can't. I never could…even as her brother. I gave up hopes and dreams in an alternate wish that pain would be eliminated. Whereas I wish that we weren't so attached to father, so him being gone wouldn't hurt so much every year. If you have nothing to hope for...but...her happiness. That's my only hope...that's it. I can't give her what she needs because I'm worth nothing as her brother!" The man stood up from the chair, then fell to his knees. He bowed as tears welled in his eyes. "But. You can. You can still do so much…so please come back to her. It's all she has now. You…I'm such a wimp...Crying...like this before you. I know you hate me but..."

Yuri arose from the floor and rubbed his eyes. He placed his hands over his face and after a moment showed to have never shed tears. The blonde male walked towards the door and sighed. The room was empty and utterly silent for that moment. Everything everyone had prayed for waited in that moment…all of their hopes…all of their dreams…_her dreams_.

…

…

"…"

"I should have known---"

"I'll try." A voice said weakly. Yuri slowly turned around to see Kakashi looking at him. "I---I'll try. But not for you, because I do hate you. But for Yui..." He slowly brought himself to a sitting position. "Even if you are a bastard."

"You...you...You're alive!"

"Yes. I am."

"I don't believe it...you're really living..."

"It is a good thing, right?" He pulled the sheets from over him and brought his feet to the floor. "Where is Yui?" The jounin asked. "I want to see her." Kakashi made an effort to stand, but froze in shocking pain. He fell back to the bed and Yuri laughed lightly.

"Hurts like a bitch, don't it?" He approached Kakashi.

"...wha--what is this pain?"

"A four inch hole in your left lung. It's amazing you live. Haruno-san works magic."

"...Sakura? I'm fortunate for such a student, and comrade."

"Would seem so. Still...I think you should rest."

"I want to see Yui."

"Hm...Hold a sec. You should..." Yuri pondered for a moment and soon a wicked smile formed on his face. "Yeah...you definitely should."

"Should what?" The jounin asked, still holding himself.

"Give Yui a surprise she'd never forget."

"What are you planning?"

"Nothing _too_ bad. I maybe fucked up, but this is funny."

* * *

Yui stomped down the hall as she came from Yume's room. "Stupid Yuri. I should have known Yume didn't need me." **_'And when I went to her she treated me like I was a child.' _**""Stupid Yuri, stupid Yuri! I hope he's doing anything stupid to Kaka---" As she slid open Kakashi's room door she froze and her eyes widened. "...Kakashi?" Her eyes began to water as she saw the sheet over his face. "Kakashi! KAKASHI!" She screamed. Yuri stood to the bed side with a saddened look on his face. He turned and looked at Yui.

"I'm so sorry Yui." The blonde shook his head and walked towards her. "I am so sorry." He placed a hand on her shoulder and then exited the room. Yuri slid the door closed behind and smiled like a fool.

"Kakashi...no..." Yui slowly approached the 'dead' body. Her hand shook violently as she reached for the sheet covering his face. She hesitantly removed the covering and saw a pale and almost dead face." You were supposed to come back..." She fell to the floor and clutched the sheet "I waited!" She cried.

* * *

"What's going on?" Naruto asked as he and his teammates ran up to Kakashi's room. "We heard Yui scream."

"What'd you do to her!" Sakura demanded.

"What would I do? She's my sister."

"Then what happened?" Sasuke activated his sharingan and eyeballed Yuri.

"If that's intimidation then I'm shaking in my boots." Yuri said sarcastically.

""Please tell us what happened!" Sasuke urged.

"You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

Yui cried tears that had no end. She had lost him. He was gone. "Yuki...daddy...now you too. God just kill me now if it is so!" She bit her bottom lip and did so until it bled. As she wiped her undying tears she looked down to the floor and noticed a crumbled piece of paper on the floor. She picked it up wondering from where, and who it was from. After opening it she read aloud. "Why are you crying?"

"But it's not me, it is you who cries. She heard a voice and looked up to see Kakashi sitting up in the bed; legs crossed and face maskless.

"Say something Yui." He looked at her while she simply stood there...she blinked once. And that was it. "Yui?"

"You..." She stepped towards the bed and froze. Her hands covered her mouth and sheet turned her back to him. "You..."

"Yes, Yui?"

"You..." She reached for the chair and breathed heavily. Before Kakashi knew it Yui had picked up the chair and raised it above her head. "You...YOU BASTARD!" She exclaimed. His eyes widened.

"Yui, calm down. I'm injured!"

"I cry tears of blood for you and YOU DO THIS!"

* * *

Sasuke smiled as he heard Yui's scary screams. Sakura and Naruto laughed. "That moron deserves it." He said.

"Kakashi-sensei is never going to learn unless it's the hard way." Naruto told Yuri.

"At least we get a good laugh. See, I'm not that bad." He said to the three of them.

They all made straight faces and looked at the older man. "Yes you are." Yuri sighed in defeat and the three continued their laughter.

Kirara and Yume ran down the hall in response to Yui's loud screams. "What's happened?" She asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Yeah ma'. Yui's just being herself again." Yuri said to the brunette.

"Really? You mean Hatake-san is okay? He woke up?" Yume asked with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah. The two of them are in there now."

"So Yui can be happy again. That's..." Yume smiled as warm tears welled in her eyes. "That's great." She hugged Yuri's leg and everyone stared in shock. "What?" She asked.

"You...you're hugging me." He said. "**_Me_**."

"Yeah? Oh!" Yume released his leg and scratched the back of her head. "Well...it doesn't mean anything. I still hate you."

Everyone laughed together and Kirara headed back to her office. "Kirara-sama why are you leaving?" Sakura asked.

"I thought something important occurred. I'm going back to my office."

"Mommy..." Yume frowned.

Kirara vanished at the end of the hall. When she opened the doors to the room and made way to her desk she froze. Her eyes filled with tears and she kneeled to the ground. "Thank you...dear God thank you."

* * *

"Yui stop. That's no way to ---" She tossed the chair into the wall causing it to break into many pieces; one sharp piece landing right in between Kakashi's legs. "...Jesus Christ..." He muttered.

"How dare you?" She picked up the sharp wood and pointed it at him. "You ruin everything! I swear!"

"...it's funnier that way...I wanted to lighten the mood."

"Not everything is a joke!"

"I know that." The jounin put his hands over his head. (A/n: For those of you, who think Kakashi's being a total wuss, try and remember that in manga chapter 246 he lost to Naruto and Sakura by closing his eyes and covering his ears like a five year old)

"So why do you such things?"

"To humor you. To make you laugh."

"And why is that so important?"

"Because I care too much for you. I love you!" He answered. Yui lowered the plank type object.

"What did you just say to me?" Kakashi looked at Yui and raised an eyebrow.

"I...I said nothing." He lied.

"No. You said something. What did you say?"

"Come now, I just awoke from being unconscious for a while. I've maybe said many things."

"..." Yui's face turned a slight red then appeared boiling red. "STOP MESSING WITH ME!" She shouted. She reached for the sharp wood only to freeze centimeters away from it. Kakashi looked at her confused. She stood there and tears slid down her cheeks. She was crying.

"Yui," He caressed the woman's cheek and held her hand "Why are you crying Yui?" He asked.

"You almost died. I was so afraid...I was so scared...I wanted you to make it, but I was terrified you wouldn't."

"I told you I'd come back."

"I waited everyday...Everyday I sat here...I prayed, and hoped Kakashi. Everyday I waited—"

The silver haired male gently kissed her lips to silence her painful tears. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed back. Time seemed frozen as the weather outside while they shared the most passionate moment since their separation. When the two parted Yui rested her head against his chest and whispered "I love you."

"Yui…I…" Kakashi began. He looked into her green eyes.

"Shh…let's just stay here for a while…okay?"

"…sure."

* * *

The group outside sighed deeply and smiled amongst themselves. Yui's happiness had been returned. The threat to the family had been eliminated. The mission was complete. Yuri leant his head against the wall and muttered "Thank God." Yume looked up to her older brother and smiled to him. He looked down and said "truce?"

"I guess. But it's only temporary."

"Right." The two laughed and the three teens returned to their rooms.

Sakura leant against the door after closing it. She looked at the ground and sighed. "Thank heavens." She looked out the window and it registered to her that winter was closing. They had been there since January and now it was early March. The pink haired medic-nin walked over to her closet and opened the door. She went through her possessions and saw she was out of medical items. Time was up. "We need to get back to the village."

Sakura exited out the room and walked over to the room which Naruto and Sasuke resided in. She knocked the door and slid it open. "Yes?" Sasuke asked as she entered. He was about to head to sleep. Naruto lay on his own bed near dream land. "Something wrong?"

"I'm low on supplies. And Kakashi-sensei needs more medical attention. We need to go back to the village immediately."

"Immediately?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. Like tomorrow."

"That's soon. Okay…we'll begin packing then." Sasuke answered.

"At noon tomorrow. And I feel that's the latest we can leave at best. It'll still take almost three whole days to go back home. So…hurry and get packing." She was about to leave the room when she paused. "And…let's try and leave everything that happened between us here…here and here alone…"

"Yeah…that's okay…I suppose." Naruto told her.

"I mean…I care about you both…and for right now…I don't want to be forced to care about one more than the other…I'm not ready…okay. Just give me time. Please?"

"Sakura-chan…because we care about you, we won't rush you."

"…"

"But don't leave us waiting forever. Okay?"

"Sure." She exited the room and closed the doors behind her.

"Guess we better get packing…" He looked at Sasuke who nodded. They were soon to head to sleep. The night drew towards it's end and everyone else in the house returned to their rooms. Daybreak was soon.

* * *

…

…

…

"You left me alone…for the time I waited here…I never felt so alone."

"It is not as if it was intentional…right?"

"I prayed…"

"…"

"And I waited."

"…"

"But now…looks like my prayers were answered."

"Yeah."

"Kakashi…"

"Yes Yui?"

"Hold me tighter please? And…please don't let go. Not for a while. Please…"

"I won't." He wrapped his arms around the woman and squeezed her. "I'm holding you, so…just don't worry, okay?"

"You know…I loved Yuki so much…I really did. He was my best friend. He was my first love. I loved him until my knees were weak. We use to sneak out, and he'd show me whatever new moves he learnt from my father that day, and sometimes we'd even play by the river…despite the cold. I really, really…really loved Kazuya Yuki."

"Yes you did."

"I would have never thought he envied my father. The love I had for them was different…too different. I don't understand why he would have felt threatened by it. It…makes no sense to me."

"Maybe he thought you loved your father more, in a general idea. According to psychologists there is a period in time that when a child is young they virtually love their opposite gender parent more than anything."

"I did. I did love my father more than anything. More than life itself. I wanted him to be happy always. I loved my father…if Yuki loved me so…why would he have killed him? It doesn't answer my question." She told him with a slightly frustrated tone.

"Then I do not know the answer. Sorry."

"It…it's alright. Some things are just best left unanswered…right?"

"I'd suppose."

"Yeah…" She held his hands and looked at them. It registered again that his hands were larger than hers. Many thoughts played through her head with that as well. Then she asked "what did you dream of, while asleep, Kakashi…?"

"..in my sleep. I couldn't identify anything. I was a lost. I was blind. I think all I could see was…"

"was?"

"You."

"…"

"So I ran in the direction I saw you in. When I first saw you, I wasn't sure if you really there or not. Also…you were at such a far distance. I ran for what felt like forever. But…I made it my goal to come back…to get to you …because…" He leant his head against her shoulder and whispered… "I love you."

Yui's eyes widened and she pulled away from his touch. She looked into his eyes feeling a burning color come to her cheeks as he leaned towards her. His eyes seemed to glow in the dark, especially his flaring sharingan…as he come closer and closer to her. Their noses brushed against each other's and they both chuckled. "You…you love me?" She asked.

"Yes. Like crazy…"

"…I see. But why, why when I left Konoha you said---"

" 'I never told you I loved you.' Because I didn't. But, that never meant I didn't love you."

"…why…why do you do things like that? Why!" She pulled away from Kakashi with some anger in her eyes. "Why did you put me through all that unnecessary suffering if you did love me!"

"Because of this type of situation…"

"What?"

"I broke it off with you because I was afraid of what just happened. I was worried that…if we were too attached, that if our bonds were too strong…that…" His eyes searched her own as if to look for the rest of his thoughts. A hard and painful knot formed in his throat and his hand shook a bit. Yui noticed this and her upset look soften. "one day there would be a mission…I wouldn't return from. That was my fear. To leave you waiting for someone who couldn't or wouldn't come back."

"…but Kakashi…you…you did come back…" She sighed a sigh of relief and held his hands. "You were the only who came back…" She hugged the jounin. "The only one…" She whispered. "My only one…"

The moonlight peeked behind the many clouds and shone through revealing light that had been hidden for many days. The suffering had ended. Her pain was vanquished. His pain was no more…the distraught that hung over the house of Yoshimitsu arose and seemed to drift and dissolve in the night air. Everything and everyone was at ease. A well deserved ease. One that none had felt for what appeared as near an immortal period in an unmeasured time. The last night of their pain and sorrows was drawing towards its conclusion and new hope lay in wake for the coming tomorrow.

Despite these revelations…

…_his fears would remain…_

* * *

Sasuke awoke to a knock on the door. His dark eyes shot open to the annoying sound. He tossed and turned multiple times in bed before finally getting up. He looked out the window to see the sun and birds. The few signs that winter was near its end. The loud and annoying knock became even louder and even more annoying. Naruto sat in his bed, half asleep, but awake enough to complain.

"Kill the bastard knocking on the door." He mumbled.

"I like that idea." Sasuke told him. He slid open the door and looked to see no one in the hall.

"Down. Look down." A voice said.

"What?" The tall Uchiha male looked down to see Yume fully dressed and smiling. Wearing a pink kimono, and holding her plush scarecrow she smiled and greeted him.

"Morning Sasuke-kun." She greeted.

"Yeah…morning." He groaned.

"My mother requests you and your comrades be present in her office in fifteen minutes."

"Huh?" Sasuke yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Sure."

"Okay then." She marched down the hall and hummed a particular tune. Sasuke only closed the door to fall back into bed.

"What'd she want?" Naruto asked.

"…her mom…comrade…office…"

"Huh?"

"Don't ask me, I'm freakin' tired." Sasuke curled up under the blankets and Naruto fell back to his pillow and the two went back to sleep.

Sakura brushed her hair while staring in the mirror. Yuri stood in the doorway. The morning was brighter than usual. The weather somewhat warmer and Yuri seemed strangely pleasant. He had that same cool appearance he did the first day they met him. It was positive in a way, but somewhat disturbing. "What do you want?" Sakura asked. "I already heard from Yume-chan I'm to see your mother."

"That's not why I'm here."

"Then why?"

"Because…" He walked towards the girl and turned her around. He looked into her green eyes and his blue eyes seemed like pools of water as Sakura stared back into them. With out realizing it she was blushing red, her cheeks showing the passionate color. "…you really are beautiful Haruno-san." Sakura pushed his hands from her shoulders and turned back to the mirror.

"What do you want?"

"Just to see what the fuss really is between your comrades. I understand now though. You're quite the catch. If only you were some years older."

"You're sick."

"I'm male."

Thoughts of Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Ebisu played and all Sakura could do was sigh. He was right. He was male. "I give up."

"I'm also here to thank you."

"What? Why?"

"If not for you and your team…I don't think my family would ever be the same." He bowed deeply to Sakura who backed up into the dresser. "Thank you. Very much."

"…" When he arose Sakura saw something that she wasn't aware could exist in the eyes of the man who caused so much trouble throughout their mission. She saw gratefulness…kindness…sincerity. "You…you are welcome Yuri-kun."

"Eh? Hey, that has a cute ring to it coming from your mouth!" He chirped.

"…you sound just like Naruto…" She complained.

"Yeah. But, you like Naruto-san, right?"

"Eh!" She turned red and shook her head. "We're just good friends. We've been for a long time."

"Uchiha-san then?"

"…we're just friends too…sort of."

"…sort of? For Sasuke or Naruto?"

"Both…HEY! Mind your business!" She shouted. Sakura appeared juvenile and youthful once more and Yuri laughed.

"You are just like Yume. Yui was right. I'm off." He exited the room and Sakura stood there. She stared at the ground and kicked her feet a little.

"I am just like a child…indecisive…"

* * *

Kakashi opened his eyes and looked around his surroundings. Where was he? What happened? He looked to his right and saw a sleeping blonde lying beside him. Her hair was messy across the pillow and her breaths were small and gentle. He smiled to himself and caressed her cheek. It was his love, the woman he loved…She mumbled a few words in her slumber and he blushed slightly to the words that left her mouth. Things such as 'I love you…' and 'I will marry you…' The only thing he couldn't understand was why he was blushing in the first place. Maybe he really had softened up. Maybe…

"Kakashi…" She mumbled. He grinned to this and decided maybe it was time to wake up.

"Hey. Hey. Morning sunshine." He whispered to her. Yui turned over, having her back face him. He leaned closer and whispered "Wakey,wakey my angel." Yui pulled the covers over her head and Kakashi frowned. She was a bitch to get up. No. Wait.. He had a new plan.

He went underneath the cover and began to send his hand up her shirt. He rubbed his hands against her smooth, fresh skin, and she squirmed a little. A few giggles escaped too. He took it further when he nibbled her ear lobe and kissed her neck. His tongue going over her skin…**_'Just a bit more.' _**He thought. He climbed on top of her and looked to see hazy, and tired green eyes. His tongue trailed her bottom lip and soon she opened her mouth for entrance …

…

**She bit him**. He rolled off her landing on the floor and almost crying. "Mu..mu..nay'd mu!" He complained. (Translation: "You…you…why'd you!")

"You've got nerve for an injured man. Messing around like that. You haven't changed. You're still a perv. Just what do you think you were doing?"

As best as he could he said 'I just wanted to wake you up.'

"By touching me and trying to tongue me! If you're this kinky now, imagine when we do possibly…" Yui trailed off and turned red from what she was just about to say. Kakashi grinned like an idiot and got off the floor. He headed towards her and pinned her down. "Hey! No! I didn't mean now, get off! Kakashi!" She protested. She squirmed and fidgeted and he came closer to her face. Then he pinched her cheeks. "Ow! Aren't you supposed to be injured? Stop!" She cried and as he pulled her face. Kakashi laughed as he did so, enjoying her torture.

'Like that?' He made out.

"No!" She cried. "Stop!"

Outside the door the maids listened in, thinking and being a bit too imaginative. "Ohh...my…they do it already and he just recovered. No shame!" One said.

"Leave them. They've probably been waiting for the moment to mess around." The other said.

"Stop being nosy and knock the door." The oldest one ordered. The two youths nodded and knocked on the door. After a few moments of waiting and hearing constant laughter and cries the door slid open to show Yui breathing heavily. Her face red, her shirt was sliding off her shoulders. She looked as if she'd just run through a battlefield. One of her bra straps was broken, and Kakashi was behind her getting dressed. "uhh…"

"It's not what you think. He was tickling me." She told them.

"…"

"What is it?" She ordered.

"Your mother wants Hatake-san and you in her office A.S.A.P." They said in unison. Their faces were bright red. They seemed to be trying to contain themselves, but to no avail, they soon burst into laughter. "We are so sorry, but you look funny."

"…Not my fault. Prepare me some clothing and get the bath ready."

"Yes!" They bowed and headed down the hall, their laughter still echoing.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked as he sat down on the bed.

"Mother wants to see us."

"…great." He said sarcastically.

"You most likely need to discuss the mission's details."

"Most likely."

"…and then we have somewhere to go. I want you…to meet someone…" Yui looked at the floor and her face seemed somewhat sadden. Kakashi was worried by this and limped over to her. He touched her shoulder and she looked in his eyes with some tears in her eyes. He hugged her and she sobbed lightly against his chest. "When I think about it now...Yuki…had killed my father…it hurts so much more."

"It's…it will be okay Yui. I'm going with you. I'm here now." She cried into his shirt and cried. Some pains still dwelled.

* * *

In the office of Yoshimitsu Kirara her children stood behind the large and firm wood desk. Each member of the family dressed as elegant as the day team seven arrived. "Good Morning to you all." Kirara greeted with no feeling to her words. "Today I call Konohagakure's team seven to complete the payment for the assignment. Although it had its difficulties and problems in between, the mission was completed with no casualties on our side. I am very much pleased and extremely grateful."

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura stood behind Kakashi. He held himself up as best as possible. With no support and no crutch he bared the pain that shot in his side. "I, Hatake Kakashi, captain of this team, take full charge for whatever you have to give."

"Well if that is the case…the only thing I intend to charge you for is…" Each person in the room held their breath to hear Kirara's final words concerning the mission. "It's successful completion." She pulled files from the desk drawer and placed them before Kakashi. "Sign here and the rest of the money is for your Hokage. The main house in this village of merchants is truly grateful. Thank you."

Kakashi signed the paper and each member of team seven bowed deeply to the family of Yoshimitsu, who bowed deeply in return. As each person exited the room Yume grabbed Sasuke and Naruto's arms. "Hey! So, how much longer will you guys be staying? Because I have so much plans for us!" She chirped.

"Not long. We leave at noon today." Naruto said.

"…WHY!" She shouted. She released the young men and shouted to Yuri. "YOU, YOU, YOU DROVE THEM AWAY!" Her face was red, and she shouted and verbally abused her older brother as best as a child her age could.

"I didn't even know about this!" He defended. Everyone laughed. Kakashi was held up by Yui and the two headed towards the house's entrance. They dressed for the weather and headed outside to the family's grave. No one else noticed they left.

"So you're leaving today?" Yui asked.

The sun shone brightly above their heads as they made their way through the snow. It was still cold, but not as it was when the season began. Although Yui held up the injured jounin he refused her help when close to their destination. The blonde female pushed the cold, frozen gates open and Kakashi followed her as they headed through the large cemetery. Despite the cold weather many animals made their way out of their habitats and looked to the sun. Winter was ending.

"…Apparently so. Still, I didn't hear about this…I mean I only awoke yesterday. No smart ass reply meant if you perceived one."

"…I haven't. I mean...I didn't…I don't know. I don't want you to leave." Yui grabbed Kakashi's hand. "Stay…a bit longer…"

"I'm not sure if I can."

When the two came upon a unique shaped memorial Yui stopped. Kakashi looked at her then to the structure. It was a large statue of a man. While it had been a cold large piece of stone standing before them it appeared alive. As if living that very moment. Yoshimitsu Kyoshi…

"This is my father…" Yui said as she and Kakashi stood before the large tombstone. Although covered by snow the place still had a dead and dry feel to it. Such was the feeling in any cemetery. "Yoshimitsu Kyoshi…father...I've brought someone very dear to me." Yui walked towards the stone and touched it. It burned. All her emotions made her blood run hot, and her fingertips burn. "Daddy…" She bowed on her knees ad leant her head against the stone. "This is the only one to come back to me…I've brought him…say hello…"

Kakashi walked to Yui's side and he paused. He looked at the hard rock and drew in a deep breath. He bowed despite his pain. He held Yui's hand and looked at her watery green eyes. He smiled weakly and then looked at the stone. "Hello…I…I'm Hatake Kakashi. It's a pleasure…." Yui watched him. She smiled as warm tears came to her eyes. After rubbing her tears away from her eyes and began praying. The two lovers sat in the snow speaking to he who was beyond the clouds.

* * *

"Is that all of our things?" Sakura asked the young maid.

"Yes ma'am." She bowed.

"Thank you once again." She smiled.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked. He turned the corner and approached Sakura. "Naruto's dying to leave. Yume keeps grabbing his leg. Even I'm starting to feel bad for him."

"Oh…well guess we better get going." She said to him.

"Yeah."

"DON'T LEAVE!" A screaming Yume cried. Naruto dragged the girl on his right leg and nearly fell multiple times. "PLEASE!"

"We have to go…"

"NO!"

"Yume-chan!"

"NO NARUTO-KUN STAY WITH ME PLEASE!"

"…Urg…..Let go!"

"Yume. Release him." Yui opened the front door with Kakashi close behind. "They must leave now."

"…but I don't want them to go"

"You've no choice. Let go." Yume did as told and let go. She began tearing and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sure they'll visit once more. No tears."

"Okay. Good bye…" Yume ran to Sakura and hugged her. The pink haired girl was shocked at fist but then patted the child. Yume released her and waved sadly to Sasuke and Naruto. Yuri came down the hall with Kirara who seemed discontent.

"Now you leave. Good luck on your return home. I hope you make it safe. Tell your Hokage I'm extremely grateful …and I'm not jealous anymore. By this time in my life I have an appreciation for blondes. My children are evidence of that."

"Right." Kakashi said.

"I will still have a disliking of you…but I do respect you as an individual. Thank you Hatake-san. Yui in my office after seeing them off." Kirara bowed and returned down the hall. Yuri watched her and then paid mind to Sakura.

"Well…it was nice having you all. Especially you Haruno-san." He approached her and touched her shoulder. "Take your time. And remember, not only your happiness but theirs too. Good luck." He kissed her cheek and stepped away. Sasuke and Naruto flared up with anger from his suspicious actions. "That was the peck I wanted to give you since day one." He pulled out a pack and took out a new cigarette. He placed it between his lips and lit it with a lighter from his back pocket. He appeared as cool and sexy as he did since they first arrived to the village. He winked to her and headed down the hall. As he walked he waved goodbye. Yume smiled weakly to everyone then hurried away.

"It's just me now. Well…its bye bye once more, huh?" Yui said. They all could sense the slight sadness in her voice. "But, I've been with you for a good while so it's alright."

"Sorry to take Kakashi-sensei from you when he just recovered." Sakura told her.

"It's fine. You have your reasons." Naruto and Sasuke walked over to her. Yui hugged them both. "Thanks. So much." Each male pulled away from her slowly. Sakura stepped forward.

"It's bye once more." She said to the older woman.

"Well…yes." The two hugged as the males watched. Naruto and Sasuke headed out the house then Sakura soon followed.

The two stood face to face and Yui smiled. Kakashi looked at her confused. There they were once again. In a frame just made to fit them, their physical, their emotional. A frame consisting of one another. Nothing could fit in the form of their difficult romance. Nothing was allowed to. It only held room for them. He pulled his mask to say something and she placed her fingers over his lips. The silence that moment was treasured. It had even brought them closer. He held her and she buried her face in his chest. Time, if it could have, froze just for them. It remained inside their frame.

"It would seem that…its goodbye once more." He said to her. He ran his fingers through her hair and whispered. "Nevertheless I feel this goodbye is too soon. You've only just returned to my arms."

"I don't desire your leave. I wish for you to remain…you've only just come back." Warm tears began sliding down her cheeks. "You've only just come back…you've only just come back to me." Tears wet the jounin's vest and he held her tighter. He squeezed her. "I love you."

"I know…I love you too."

An eerie silence lingered. Kakashi released her and looked into her eyes. He pulled down his mask showing the face that was revealed to no one else. A face that was shown only to the woman he had loved…only Yui. She pressed her hands against Kakashi's chest and tiptoed to his height. The blonde female gently pressed her lips on his own. He held her. His arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck. When they parted he looked into her watery green eyes. She touched his cheek. "I don't want you to go."

"…I have to." He whispered. The two separated and she crossed her arms. She turned her back to him and he touched her shoulder.

"Go ahead now…leave before I start crying some more."

"…You can always visit me. And I can do the same to see you."

"…Yeah. That's true. I guess my childish behavior only makes things harder for myself."

"It's okay to be childish. Children are pure and innocent. Open with their feelings. Honest and true. You're not a cold and heartless rock like I am. This…that is why I love you." Yui turned and faced him.

"…"

"You understand me with honest feeling. I love you."

"I try." Kakashi headed towards the door and slid it open. Yui watched him. "I love you. Always. And…I'll be here, waiting. I'll wait for your visit."

"Yeah. And hey, you can visit too. Okay?" He smiled. The image that would remain in her head of him after he pulled up his mask.

"Yes. I'll come visit as soon as I can."

"You do that. Goodbye Yui."

"No! Make it, see you soon. Goodbye's mean the end."

"Then…see you soon Yui." He walked out the door and closed it behind him. Yui stood there in the hall feeling a warm feeling in her body. Although she couldn't explain it, she knew what it was. She turned and headed down the hall. She made her way to her mother's office…

"See you soon."

* * *

**A/n: It's OVER! YAY! VICTORY! _Unknown Romance_ has been completed. Dude, tell me you're happy for me. Anyways---**

**Sasuke: Give them the full ending please. Stop bullshitting the audience. **

**Naruto: Yeah…I mean it's not over.**

**Magic: OKAY! Geez...let me celebrate that I at least finish…MOST of it. Read below for the REAL ending. Make sure you join me for the sequel. **

* * *

She knocked on the door of Yoshimitsu Kirara's office and slid it open when ordered to come in. Yui entered to see her mother sitting on her desk. Legs crossed and hands folded neatly in her lap. "They've gone?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Please be seated." Yui did as told and took the same position.

"You asked for me?"

"As you know the situation that occurred in this village is because I have failed to provide the proper protection. Even though we are not a village of violence, many violent things happen regardless."

"Well…this is a merchant's village and a good number of merchants are corrupt individuals that involve themselves with shady characters."

"Right, meaning difficulties flock over."

"I know this so what is the purpose of this meeting?"

"Feudal Lord Hanajima Hiroshi has made an offer to combine with our village, and provide required force."

"And? That information is excellent and all but---"

"But in order for this to happen he mandates his son being wed."

Yui's eyes widened and her breath froze. Her hand grabbed the arms of the chair while her face became slightly pale. She did not wan to believe what she was hearing. In her denial was screaming it was not possible. That it wasn't true. "So what you're trying to say is---"

"What I **am** saying is that you are engaged. Your wedding is to be in Mid-July." Kirara picked up several documents off her desk and looked over them briefly. Her eyes looked to Yui who sat there as if someone's death had been announced. "Are you alright Yui?" She asked, knowing the answer.

"…yes..." She lied. "I'll be just fine."

**A/n: Now it's over. PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE SEQUEL! THE FINAL SAGA OF THE ROMANTIC ANTICS SERIES! _Troublesome Romance _which is to be released between the 14th and the 25th of June. REMEMBER! See you soon. Later days. **


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